JUST DRY RATIONS WON’T DO!

Rishad calls Rs 100,000 cash grant for each affected family

• ‘Just dry rations alone won’t do’-Rishad
• Has been visiting many camps in past few days
• Meets more than 2000 families, inquires on location status
• Enlists his CAA’s support for relief
• Donates monthly salary for flood efforts

Not entirely satisfied with the progress of flood relief efforts in the country, Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen –who was once a former Minister of Resettlement and Disaster Relief Services -has proposed that each affected family to be given immediate cash assistance too-adding that he himself is donating his monthly salary in support of relief efforts.

“This is the biggest such natural disaster since the Tsunami and it should not just be nominal dry rations alone” said Minister Bathiudeen on 26 May in Buthgamuwa.

Minister Bathiudeen was addressing a group of flood victims of Buthgamuwa area on 26 May during his flood relief efforts in the area. Since May 21, Minister Bathiudeen has been visiting many flood ravaged zones in and around Colombo on a daily basis, and so far has met more than 2000 affected families and helped them with various relief measures including food, children’s needs and even mosquito nets.

Minister Bathiudeen is no stranger to disaster relief efforts; prior to assuming duties as the Minister of Industry and Commerce, Minister Bathiudeen, as the then Minister of Resettlement and Disaster Relief Services (and in as the then Co-Chair of the Consultative Committee for Humanitarian Affairs (CCHA – IDP relief services), successfully co-ordinated of the supply of emergency humanitarian relief services to approximately 300,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) during the most critical points of the war from 2005-2009, supporting the displaced irrespective of ethnicity/religious identities. His efforts in this 2009 immediate post war resettlement had won him many kudos from local and international parties.

“This is the biggest such natural disaster since the Tsunami and our relief efforts should be coordinated and united, and more importantly, it should not just be nominal dry rations alone. I, in my personal capacity have made arrangements to donate my monthly salary for May to the relief efforts. I am pleased that many of my Ministry’s staff are joining me in this. I also believe that dry rations alone is not sufficient and each affected family should be compensated financially as well-I propose Rs 100,000 cash assistance for each family so that they can get back on track promptly” said Minister Bathiudeen and added: “Thanks to the efforts of the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) under my Ministry, we have delivered a great amount of dry rations as well as prepared food to flood victims camped in Kolonnawa, Buthgama and Kotikawatta areas from May 22. I praise the officials and staff of CAA for their quick response.”

At each camp, Minister Bathiudeen inquired the victims of their sanitary conditions and also met relief officials from the government and NGOs present at the sites. At 10pm on May 24, Mminister Bathiudeen undertook a risky midnight boat journey to meet 67 families trapped in an “island of death” at Gaandhi Walawwa, Malwana. The “island” was formed after floodwaters surrounded a small hilly area at Gaandhi Walawwa, Malwana and then did not recede as expected, trapping more than 200 persons of all ages without potable water and even sanitation facilities. The trapped families were elated to see Minister Bathiudeen -the first ever M.P. ever to visit them since their plight unravelled-and lauded praise on Minister Bathiudeen for his risky mid night boat tour to visit and help them.