Dilrook Kannangara

Sri Lanka faced the worst natural disaster in recorded history. Sri Lanka is not alone as Indonesia, Thailand and others also faced the disaster. This is part of climate change that affects the whole world. These disasters will only become more frequent with time. Sri Lanka must have a long-term plan to face them. It is impossible to avoid the destruction. Instead having enough resources to face them should be the objective.

Government relief workers particularly tri-forces personnel made a valiant effort to save lives. They must be rewarded with a one-off payment of Rs. 100,000. It is money well spent. Their services must not be taken for granted. They made a similar contribution during the COVID-19 pandemic but apart from worthless labels like ranawiru” and suwawiru”, nothing worthwhile happened to recognize their services. That should not be the fate of 2025 heroes.

Rs.200 per person per day allocated in the budget for tea plantation workers should be repurposed to reward relief workers. Tea plantations, over-population of tea estates, their workers’ houses, schools, temples and other constructions and resultant blockade of natural flow of water is the main reason for this disaster.

Instead of encouraging further natural disasters through the promotion of an environmentally destructive colonial industry, Sri Lanka should look to relocate these people to Vanni and Batticaloa districts and save vital catchment, near catchment and water flow areas of the hill country which was historically known as the island’s heartland for good reasons.