Sri Lanka moves to restore Central Highlands after Cyclone Ditwah landslides

Sri Lanka President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said nearly 4,000 landslides caused by Cyclone Ditwah have severely damaged Sri Lanka’s Central Highlands, prompting urgent action to rebuild and protect the region.

The President said the isolated functioning of institutions handling construction, land management, agriculture, livestock and environmental conservation has made restoration efforts difficult. He added that steps are now being taken to create a new integrated framework that will bring all stakeholders together to restore the Central Highlands more effectively.

These remarks were made during a discussion held today (January 21) at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo with representatives from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and relevant government and private sector institutions. The discussion focused on protecting the Central Highlands and restoring forest plantations.

It was revealed that long-term unauthorized construction, cultivation and poor maintenance had worsened the damage caused by Cyclone Ditwah. Participants stressed the need for a national policy to protect the Central Highlands and preserve them for future generations.

The meeting also highlighted the need to establish a dedicated Authority under relevant laws to oversee conservation and restoration efforts. President Dissanayake instructed officials to speed up the process.

ADB and UNDP representatives emphasized the importance of maintaining a dedicated financial fund for these initiatives and confirmed their full support for Sri Lanka’s restoration programme.

Those present included Cholpon Mambetova, Country Operations Head of ADB Sri Lanka Resident Mission; Sumith Pokhrel, Senior Agricultural and Natural Resources Specialist at ADB; Krishanthi Dabare, Assistant Project Officer; UNDP Resident Representative Azusa Kubota; and programme representatives Wageesha Gunasekara and Sugandhi Samarasinghe.

Also participating were Commissioner-General of Essential Services and Secretary to the Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure Prabath Chandrakeerthi, Secretary to the Ministry of Housing, Construction and Water Supply Engineer L. Kumudu Lal Bogahawatta, along with senior officials from relevant ministries and other government and private institutions.