MONTHLY ALLOWANCE FOR EVACUATED FAMILIES

President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe at the Progress Review Meeting to provide compensation to families affected by the Meethotamulla tragedy.

Meethotamulla disaster:

Permanent houses in three months:

Central Authority for waste management mooted:

The Government yesterday decided to pay a monthly allowance of Rs.50,000 to each family evacuated from the high risk area around the Meethotamulla garbage dump on the instructions of President Maithripala Sirisena, Disaster Management Ministry Secretary S.S. Miyanawala said.

He said about 150-160 families would receive the monthly allowance for a period of three months. The allowance is provided for the evacuated families to rent a house until permanent houses are provided.

Families who were given permanent houses in the housing complexes coming under the Urban Development Authority would not be entitled to this payment.

President Sirisena directed the officials to implement a programme to solve the solid waste management issue in the country and further instructed to formulate necessary arrangements to vest power with a Central Authority in that process.

The President gave these instructions during a meeting at the Disaster Management Ministry to review the progress of providing relief measures to the Meethotamulla victims, yesterday.

The programme to provide houses for the displaced persons, whose houses were completely destroyed, was launched yesterday under the guidance of the President, expediting the resettlement process for the people affected by the collapse of a section of the Meethotamulla garbage dump. The President also directed the Secretary to the President to take actions to call regular discussions with the participation of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Ministers and other officials till solutions are found to the current issues. These discussions will be held before the Cabinet meeting.

It was decided at this meeting to provide Rs.250,000 to each family for furniture and other and another sum of Rs.10,000 for transportation purposes.

At the same meeting, the President instructed the authorities to formulate a mechanism to solve the garbage issue. He also instructed that a Central Authority also be set up with the necessary powers.

It was also decided to pay a monthly allowance of Rs.50,000 to those families who are living in the vulnerable areas and another Rs 10,000 to transport their furniture until permanent compensation is paid. The related ministries have agreed to provide houses or estimated compensation to those victims in the vulnerable areas within three months under the instructions of the President and Prime Minister. Members of 60 families whose houses were completely damaged, 22 families whose houses were partially damaged and 211 families whose houses are located in vulnerable areas would get these benefits.

According to a decision reached at the same meeting the housing loans that had been obtained from the Housing Development Authority to construct their houses in this area including the vulnerable area will be written off.

At the same meeting, the Prime Minister pointed out the need for a national policy on disposal of garbage and it was decided to hold a weekly meeting headed by the President for this purpose

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Ministers Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Susil Premajayantha, Patali Champika Ranawaka, Mahinda Samarasinghe, Faizer Mustafa, Sagala Rathnayake, Vajira Abeywardena, A. H. M. Fawzie, Western Province Chief Minister Isura Dewapriya, Tri Forces Commanders and the Inspector General of Police were among those who participated in this meeting. 

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