News
Parliament sittings limited to one day next week
Party leaders, who met on Thursday, at the Parliament Complex, decided to limit next week’s sittings of Parliament to one day due to the COVID -19 pandemic, the Pparliament Communication Division said.
Accordingly, Parliament will convene on Nov 03 from 10.00 am to 12.00 noon only and on that day, two regulations to the Medical Ordinance submitted by the Minister of Health Pavithra Wanniarachchi will be taken up for debate. Also, no time will be allotted for the Questions for Oral Answers.
The meeting, chaired by Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, decided to meet on Nov 12 and pass the Appropriation Bill presented by the Minister of Finance for the service expenditure for the financial year 2020 following the second and third reading.
It has been decided not to allow anyone other than Members of Parliament, invited officers, Security Personnel and the Parliament staff to enter the Parliament complex on the sitting days. The media will also not be allowed to enter the Parliament premises to cover parliamentary sittings. Leader of the House Dinesh Gunawardena, Chief Government Whip Johnston Fernando, Chief Opposition Whip Lakshman Kiriella, Prof. G.L Peiris, Dullas Alahapperuma, Mahinda Amaraweera, Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Prasanna Ranatunga, Ali Sabri and MPs Mahinda Samarasinghe, Rauff Hakeem, Dilan Perera, as well as the Secretary General of Parliament Dhammika Dasanayake and the Deputy Secretary General and Chief of Staff Neil Iddawela were present at the meeting on Thursday.
The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) reported yesterday that 211 people had gone missing following the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah.
The disaster has left 639 individuals dead, and 84,674 people from 26,563 families are sheltered in 866 safety centres across the country.
The DMC also confirmed extensive damage to houses. It said about 5,588 had been destroyed and 102,246 others damaged.
Authorities continue to coordinate relief efforts as they assess the full scale of the destruction and work to provide shelter and aid to thousands of displaced persons.
by Chaminda Silva
The government has decided to convene Parliament on 18 December to secure legislative approval for emergency funding for disaster relief.
The special session has been called to allocate funds for relief efforts for those affected by Cyclone Ditwah and for repairs to infrastructure and property damaged by the severe weather.
Officials said the government would submit a supplementary estimate seeking parliamentary approval for the required funds.
A debate will be conducted before the estimate is endorsed by the House.
Parliament adjourned until 06 January, 2026, following the passage of Budget 2026.
by Akitha Perera
The National Building Research Organization (NBRO) has urged the public to avoid non-essential travel this weekend. It has done so in response to numerous phone inquiries from people planning leisure trips.
Red alerts remain in effect for 33 Divisional Secretariat areas across four districts due to landslides, following heavy rainfall exceeding 75 mm in recent days in the Badulla and Kandy districts.
“Landslides were reported on Thursday (11) in Meegahakivula and Demodara,” said Dr. Vasantha Senadeera, Senior Geologist at NBRO.
“The public should remain vigilant, monitor weather forecasts closely, and follow Stage 2 warnings carefully.”
Stage 1 alerts remain active for 17 divisions across three districts, while Level 3 warnings and red alerts cover Kandy, Kurunegala, and Matale districts. Level 2 warnings apply to Badulla, Kegalle, Kurunegala (Polgahawela and Alawwa), Nuwara Eliya, and Ratnapura, while Level 1 warnings and yellow alerts advise caution in certain areas of Gampaha, Kurunegala, and Ratnapura.
Dr. Senadeera emphasized that, given the ongoing disaster situation, people should reconsider weekend trips and stay indoors wherever possible. “We have received several calls asking whether it is safe to travel,” he said. “The answer is to exercise caution and avoid unnecessary movement in high-risk areas.”
by Pradeep Prasanna Samarakoon and Sujeewa Thathsara
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