BY Kavindya Chris Thomas Courtesy Ceylon Today

The Finance Ministry claims that the country will face a dire food, water and electricity crisis should the islandwide drought continue until the April monsoon rains arrive.

State Minister of Finance Lakshaman Yapa Abeygunawardene, speaking to the media yesterday, said the government is expecting USD 1.5 billion to implement a comprehensive programme that will address issues caused by the severe drought, but it has only been able to get a mere USD 500 million for this plan. Abeygunawardena added that 600 water bowsers will have to be imported to meet the demands of the drought management programme.

He also claimed that the water supply throughout the country, which is fed by the collective reservoirs, can only continue for another two months should current conditions prevail.
Abeygunawardena stated that “If by any chance the April monsoonal rains do not arrive, it will impact very adversely on the economy.

The government is doing everything in its power to prevent the dire conditions now prevailing in Chennai, happening in Sri Lanka too. In Chennai, the drought has resulted in a food scarcity that has resulted in major sections of the population having just one meal a day.”

According to him, the Ministry of Finance has requested the Ministry of Disaster Management to submit an estimate of funds that should be appropriated to implement the drought management programme immediately.
The Ministries of Power and Energy and Disaster Management have already begun a public awareness programme islandwide urging people to conserve water and food. The government expects this drought to be a recurrence of the scorching island wide drought experienced 40 years ago.