The Parliamentary watchdog Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) has found that there were fake documents regarding the importing of medicines under the emergency procurement system in 2022 and 2023.

This was revealed during a COPE meeting held at Parliament probing the transactions of the National Medicine Regulatory Authority (NMRA).

NMRA CEO Saveen Semage told the committee that several fake documents have been found due to the lack of registration of medicines.

Stating that six such fake documents were found last year alone, Semage said he had recorded statements regarding each of the documents with the Financial Crimes Investigation Division.

He revealed that, however, no investigations have been conducted yet into the incidents.

“We have documents with confessions from a woman accepting that fake documents had been made. However, a statement has not even been recorded from that woman yet,” he said.

Meanwhile, COPE member MP Asitha Niroshana Egoda Vithana also revealed that the highest number of waive-off registrations (WOR) for medicines had been obtained in 2022 and 2023.

He said 656 such WORs had been obtained in 2022 and 261 in 2023, adding that this proves that discrepancies have taken place during the emergency procurement of medicines during these periods.

Furthermore, Deputy Director General of the Medical Supplies Division of the Health Ministry, Dr. G. Wijesuriya said discussions are underway on allowing the State Pharmaceutical Corporation (SPC) to directly import essential medicines.He pointed out that it was essential to take a policy decision in this regard as a solution to mitigate such discrepancies.

The Batalanda Commission report was tabled in Parliament on Friday by the Leader of the House and Transport Minister, Bimal Ratnayake.

Minister Ratnayake announced that the government has decided to forward the report to the Attorney General for legal advice. Additionally, a Presidential Committee will be appointed to provide guidance and recommendations on how to proceed with the findings of the report.

Ratnayake said that the Cabinet of Ministers, along with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, has made a policy decision to take necessary action in response to the report. He reassured the public that steps are being taken to ensure that such a dark chapter in the country’s history is never repeated.

Minister Ratnayake said that a two-day debate on the Batalanda Commission report will be scheduled in Parliament at an appropriate time, allowing for a detailed discussion on the report’s findings and recommendations.

The report, which will be printed in all three official languages—Sinhala, Tamil, and English—will be made available to the public in the near future. Ratnayake confirmed that printed copies would be provided to members of Parliament as well as the general public for their review.

The Leader of the House further revealed that there are 28 evidence volumes associated with the commission’s work, which will be submitted to Parliament at a later date for further scrutiny.

Ratnayake said that as entire country concerned of the Batalanda Commission’s findings, the government’s commitment to addressing the issues raised and preventing future atrocities stands clear. The next steps, including legal action and policy recommendations, will be shaped by expert advice and informed parliamentary discussions, he said.

The closed-circuit television (CCTV) surveillance system installed for the security of Anuradhapura city is currently inactive, raising concerns among residents, officials, and legal professionals.

Although 47 cameras were installed under this system, none are currently operational, significantly affecting crime detection and law enforcement efforts, officials said.

The North Central Provincial Council had initially installed CCTV systems in Anuradhapura, Habarana, and Polonnaruwa in 2017 at a cost of Rs. 7 million. The primary objective of the project was to support police investigations into crimes and other irregularities in the city.

However, the surveillance system became defunct in April 2024 when the service agreement with the private company responsible for its maintenance expired.

Given Anuradhapura’s status as a major tourist destination, locals emphasize the urgent need for a functioning surveillance system to ensure public safety. The non-operational cameras have raised concerns about the potential increase in criminal activity, including drug trafficking.

When contacted for comment, the Governor of the North Central Province Wasantha Jinadasa acknowledged the issue and assured that steps would be taken to restore surveillance.

“We contacted the relevant institution, and they informed us that the existing CCTV system cannot be restored due to its expiration. They have promised to submit proposals for a new system, but we have not received any yet. However, we are committed to activating a new system as soon as possible,” Governor Jinadasa said.