Press release issued by the Office of the Commissioner General of Essential services 

Due to the natural disaster situation that affected the country, the Registrar General will take steps to declare the affected areas as “National Disaster Areas” through a Gazette notification, in terms of Section 9 of Part II of the Registration of Deaths (Temporary Provisions) Act, No. 19 of 2010, for the registration of deaths of missing persons.

This will enable the issuance of death certificates for persons who died during the disaster and the registration of the deaths of those reported missing.

Accordingly, the authority to register the deaths of missing persons will be vested in the District Secretaries and Divisional Secretaries of the relevant affected districts, so that the formal registration process can be commenced immediately.

As identified this morning, it has been reported that 108 roads belonging to the Road Development Authority across the country require restoration.

Arrangements are being made to hold discussions with Litro Gas company to identify potential issues that may arise in the proper distribution of LP gas and to take necessary steps to provide immediate solutions.

Furthermore, steps will be taken to publish—through the media—the lists of essential food items and goods submitted by the District Secretaries, in order to identify the difficulties faced by the public in obtaining essential supplies during this disaster situation and to inform the relevant suppliers. This will enable suppliers to contact the respective District and Divisional Secretaries and take prompt action to supply the identified goods.

In addition, to provide medium-term relief to the people affected by the disaster, District Secretaries have been instructed to submit information received from Divisional Secretaries, as well as details obtained from other government institutions, to the Prime Minister’s Office. These requirements will be displayed in an easily accessible format prepared by the Office of the Secretary to the Prime Minister which  will allow
local and international donors interested in extending assistance to clearly identify the items they are able to provide.

This mechanism is expected to ensure that essential needs are accurately identified, and facilitate the proper delivery of assistance to the relevant locations.

Furthermore, items provided from overseas will be received under the name of the Disaster Management Centre, enabling the necessary customs duty and tax concessions to be granted for such supplies.

In addition, the Government has decided to import frozen vegetables that comply with the standards of the Department of Agriculture.

B.K. Prabath Chandrakeerthi
Commissioner-General of Essential Services