Colombo: The 16th meeting of the National Council for Disaster Management was held this morning at the Presidential Secretariat under the patronage of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. The Council convened to address pressing disaster management issues following the impact of Cyclone Ditwah.
According to Ministry of Defence, the meeting featured the presentation of a Cabinet Memorandum focused on establishing a National Integrated Disaster Management Mechanism and proposed amendments to the Sri Lanka Disaster Management Act, No. 13 of 2005. The Council deliberated on reducing landslide risks in plantation areas through a coordinated multi-stakeholder approach, tasking the National Building Research Organisation with providing recommendations and establishing a certification mechanism for related activities.
The formulation of a Central Fragile Area Management Plan was also on the agenda, which includes the appointment of technical committees and the development of a unified digital platform for data sharing across agencies. Approval was granted to establish a Foreign Aid Coordination Committee to ensure transparency in coordinating foreign relief assistance.
The Council’s meeting comes after a long hiatus, with the previous meeting under the President’s leadership occurring on August 7, seven years after the last. The Council met again on November 27 in response to an emergency disaster situation and convened today to make policy decisions and provide guidance for restoring normalcy following Cyclone Ditwah. The Director General of the Disaster Management Centre reported that Cyclone Ditwah has affected approximately 2.2 million people, with significant damage to housing and ongoing relief efforts.
The Government is actively working on a permanent solution to protect the Central Highlands, identifying 15,000 houses in high-risk zones and aiming to construct 8,000 new houses by the end of 2026. Additionally, issues related to the Rs. 25,000 allowance for cleaning flood-affected houses were addressed, with the President urging the completion of payments within the week.
Data collection and updating challenges were highlighted, with discussions on the need for a structured process and legal framework. The President cited past flood compensation issues, emphasizing the need for a financially viable insurance scheme with expert input and critical reforms before reintroduction.
The meeting was attended by key government officials, including Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa, various ministers, governors, opposition members of parliament, and senior government officials.