Govt steps up flood relief work, sanctions LKR 3.3 billion

Colombo, Feb 10 (PTI) Sri Lankan government todaysteppped up relief work for the victims of one of the worstflood disasters in the country, as it set apart LKR 3.3billion to restore the properties and livelihood of over amillion people in 13 districts.

The government today announced that it has set apartLKR 3.3 billion to restore the properties and livelihood in 13district in northern, eastern, north-central, Uva and centralprovinces where torrential rains followed by floods andlandslide caused massive devastation.

More than 1.2 million were affected in the second waveof flood within a month in several parts of the country inwhich at least 21 people were killed.

The cabinet decided to authorise the relevantgovernment officials to engage persons who lost theirlivelihood due to floods for renovation and rehabilitationwork, the information department said today.

"Each persons so employed by the respective GovernmentAgent will be provided work for four days per week on paymentof Rs. 500 per day," department said in a statement.

Dry ration relief will be given to flood victims fromLKR 500 to LKR 1,000 per family depending on number of familymembers, per week.

The destroyed 200,000 hectares of staple paddy cropwill result in an estimated loss of production by 800,000metric tonnes, the statement said.

It said the loss on livestock sector "particularly inBatticaloa, Trincomalee, Ampara and Polonnaruwa districts isestimated to be Rs 1,922 million."

"124,000 cattle, 33,375 buffalos, 46,500 goats and319,250 poultry have been washed away during the floods in theabove districts," the government said.

Government has decided to provide seed paddy at nocost in addition to fertilizer subsidiary for the farmersaffected by floods.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who toured the flood-hitnorth-central province to asses the situation and met with theflood victims yesterday, has instructed government officialsto expedite relief work.