Sri Lanka President vows to tighten laws against unauthorized constructions

Sri Lanka President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said that the government will not allow unauthorised constructions in the future and will strengthen laws related to such activities.

He warned that if these actions are not taken, the country could face even greater disasters.

The President said that a separate unit will be created under the soon-to-be-established Reconstruction Presidential Task Force to develop strong legal policies and provide long-term solutions to these problems.

He made these statements while attending the Special District Coordination Committee meeting held yesterday afternoon at the Kurunegala District Secretariat.

The President instructed officials to restore all damaged provincial and local council roads in the Kurunegala District within the next two weeks and reopen them for public use. He said the funds already allocated must be used, and any road projects that cannot be completed by December 31 should be reported. The required funds for those projects will be provided through the 2026 budget.

According to officials, 1,181 ‘A’ and ‘B’ grade provincial roads were damaged due to the disaster, along with 35 bridges, 162 culverts and one embankment. Urgent discussions were held on their restoration.

The President also reviewed the restoration of essential services such as electricity, water supply and communication facilities that were disrupted by the disaster. He stressed that service-providing institutions are responsible for delivering services to the people and called for strong coordination among these institutions.

Officials reported that 12,729 hectares of paddy land were fully damaged in the Kurunegala District. Out of this, 7,215 hectares can still be cultivated, while 5,514 hectares cannot be cultivated. The President instructed the Water Supply Board to provide temporary water in areas facing irrigation shortages to allow cultivation and asked about plans to supply paddy seeds and fertiliser to farmers.

Damage to maize, vegetables and other subsidiary crops was also reviewed, along with the process of providing compensation to affected farmers.

The President told local council Chairpersons that cleaning wells is mainly their responsibility and ordered them to speed up the work with the support of the Tri-Forces and volunteer organisations.

He highlighted the need to maintain accurate national data on livestock farms and said current laws may not be enough for proper registration. He noted that poor registration makes it difficult to provide compensation and other assistance. He instructed officials to collect all livestock data into a single system and make quick policy decisions on compensation.

Discussions were also held on reviving inland fisheries, meeting healthcare needs and reopening schools.

The President instructed Divisional Secretaries to play a leading role in paying compensation and managing resettlement for families whose houses were damaged. He also discussed identifying land for resettlement.

Meanwhile, Venerable Aluthgama Mangala Thero, Chief Incumbent of Maddeketiya, Gokarella Sangamu Raja Maha Viharaya, donated 20 acres of temple land for resettling affected families, and the relevant documents were handed over to the President.

A financial donation of Rs. 10 million from North Western Provincial Cooperative Societies, associations and members, coordinated by the Provincial Cooperative Development Department, along with a donation from S.M. Wasantha Samarakoon, owner of Gokarella Rice Mill, was also presented to the President.

Several officials attended the meeting, including Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Ananda Wijepala, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Namal Karunaratne, Deputy Minister of Women and Child Affairs Namal Sudarshana, North Western Province Governor Tissa Warnasuriya, MPs from both government and opposition, Treasury Secretary Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma, Kurunegala District Secretary Chandana Dissanayake, senior government officers and security forces leaders.