February 10, Colombo (LNW): Plantation and Community Infrastructure Samantha Vidyarathna has announced plans to provide immediate housing for families still residing in temporary relief camps after being displaced by landslides in recent months.
Speaking at a meeting held at his ministry today (10), the Minister confirmed that the construction of permanent homes for these families would commence in the first week of March.
The meeting, which included Ministry Secretaries and officers from the tri-forces, focused on urgent measures to address the plight of those still living in makeshift shelters.
Minister Vidyarathna revealed that, in the Kegalle District, 22 families have been forced to live in relief camps following landslides that destroyed their homes.
In addition, 51 families in Haldummulla, situated in the Badulla District, have been living in a disused tea factory in Kabaragala for the past five years, with many of them raising children in the inadequate facilities.
The Minister stressed that the Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure would allocate the necessary funds to build permanent homes for these displaced families.
The construction work will be overseen by the tri-forces, with the Sri Lanka Army managing the projects in Haldummulla and Kabaragala, while the Sri Lanka Navy will lead the efforts in Kegalle.
To ensure that the process moves swiftly, Minister Vidyarathna outlined that government officials would visit the Kabaragala camp on Saturday (15) and the Kegalle camp on Monday (17).
These visits aim to expedite the housing construction process and provide much-needed support to the affected families.
The Minister assured that the government is committed to resolving this longstanding issue and giving these families the stable, permanent homes they desperately need.
