President reviews recovery efforts in Nuwara Eliya and Badulla

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake 

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake visited Nuwara Eliya and Badulla to review the recovery effort following Cyclone Ditwah, holding a series of meetings with officials to accelerate the restoration of essential services and support to affected families. 

At the Nuwara Eliya District Coordinating Committee meeting, the President said significant progress has been achieved in rescue work, relief delivery and infrastructure repairs, but stressed the need to prevent future disasters through better planning and stronger institutional coordination.

According to official data, 63,121 people from 19,780 families in Nuwara Eliya have been affected by landslides and flooding. Discussions focused on restoring electricity, water supply, communications and irrigation systems, as well as the damage to vegetable and potato cultivation.

 Agriculture officials told the meeting there was no shortage of vegetables in the District and that output had fallen by only about 25%, but warned that misleading reports of shortages had reduced daily demand. 

The President instructed officials to provide an urgent report on affected farmers and crop damage, and to begin compensation and seed distribution to restart cultivation.

Road reconstruction dominated the meeting, with 611 estate-related roads remaining unrepaired because they do not fall under the Provincial or Local Authority networks. 

The President ordered the Government to take over estate-company roads used by the public and begin repairs immediately. He also directed the swift reconstruction of the collapsed Agarapathana Bridge and emphasised the need for a long-term plan to upgrade roads across the central highlands. Technical operations of the Lake Gregory spillway will be assigned to the Irrigation Department.

The President instructed that irrigation systems be repaired without delay to ensure Maha season paddy cultivation can continue. Officials also briefed him on the situation at the Kotmale Reservoir and the measures underway to stabilise affected areas.

On education, officials reported that 490 of the 551 damaged schools in the District could reopen by 16 December. The President asked that as many schools as possible resume operations and that students from schools unable to reopen be directed to nearby institutions with transport provided. 

Health officials raised concerns about damaged medical staff housing, prompting instructions to allocate alternative buildings and coordinate emergency arrangements.

The National Building Research Organisation’s shortage of technical staff was also discussed, with the President ordering the recruitment of officers who retired in the past five years on a contract basis. He further reviewed compensation arrangements for households that lost their homes and ongoing resettlement measures.

The President said the restoration plan must ensure continuity of essential services while protecting the central highlands, describing the region as vital to the country’s environmental stability.

The meeting was attended by Members of Parliament from the district, senior officials including Finance Ministry Secretary Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma, the Governor of the Central Province, and heads of security agencies and representatives of service institutions.

The President also visited Badulla where he told officials that the Government’s priority is to ensure a safe life for every citizen and that resettlement must be carried out under strict supervision.

He instructed agencies not to return any allocations earmarked for 2025 infrastructure development and to complete all essential repairs before 31 December using this year’s funds. He said there is no shortage of money for relief or restoration, but emphasised that institutions must coordinate effectively and avoid delays.

Addressing the Badulla District Coordinating Committee, he reviewed progress on restoring basic services after 64,140 people from 19,133 families were affected in the district. Officials reported 418 houses fully destroyed and 7,703 partially damaged.

The President called for road repairs to be carried out simultaneously across all classifications – national, provincial and local – and asked for a full estimate of permanent repair needs so work can begin in January. Officials said 90% of the damaged power network had been restored, while water supply and communications were returning to normal.

He also directed the prompt payment of the Rs. 15,000 allowance for affected schoolchildren and ordered swift compensation for 6,711 acres of damaged agricultural land. Irrigation officials were told to ensure temporary water delivery so farmers can salvage the Maha season. The Rs. 25,000 allowance for cleaning damaged religious sites will be disbursed through the Cultural Affairs Department once Cabinet approval is received.

Discussions also covered housing compensation, resettlement, and the need for mental-health programmes in camps. The President thanked the armed forces, Government officials and community volunteers involved in the response.