The ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund, launched to support communities affected by Cyclone Ditwah and to facilitate national recovery efforts, continues to attract generous support from local and international organizations, the business community and philanthropists.

In this context, Hatton National Bank has contributed Rs. 100 million to the Fund. The cheque was presented on Tuesday (16) at the Presidential Secretariat by the Bank’s Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer,  Damith Pallewatte, together with Chief Operating Officer  Sanjaya Wijemanna, to Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake.

Officials of the Ministry of Transport and Highways and Urban Development yesterday said that due to the destruction of roads and bridges across the country by Cyclone Ditwah, the Road Development Authority alone had incurred a loss of approximately Rs. 75 billion.

The officials said the restoration of disaster-hit roads and bridges would require approximately Rs. 190 billion.

This was disclosed at the meeting of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Infrastructure and Strategic Development, convened to discuss the nature of the Ditwah disaster and the measures to be taken to assess the resulting social, economic, and environmental damage. The meeting was held recently (11) in Parliament under the Chairmanship of Member of Parliament S.M. Marikkar.

During the meeting, officials of the Ministry of Transport and Highways and Urban Development pointed out that as a result of the disaster situation, 316 roads and 40 bridges, under the purview of the Road Development Authority, had been damaged.

However, the Chair of the Committee pointed out that assessments regarding damage to railway lines and regional roads across the country had not yet been carried out. The Chair further emphasised the importance of the Ministry taking the lead in formulating a mechanism to provide financial allocations for the rehabilitation of regional roads.

Accordingly, the officials informed the Committee that it was currently expected to obtain a loan of Rs. 2 billion from the World Bank, and that funds required to carry out these rehabilitation works were also expected to be obtained from several other institutions.

Meanwhile, officials of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) informed the Committee that the CEB had incurred a loss of approximately Rs. 20 billion due to recent natural disasters. It said discussions are underway to obtain a loan from the World Bank for this purpose. Commenting on this, the Chair of the Committee advised the CEB officials to obtain these funds as a grant rather than as a loan. He emphasised the importance of securing the funds as a grant, as obtaining them as a loan could result in an increase in electricity bills for consumers.

In addition, officials informed the Committee that Lanka Electricity Company (Pvt.) Ltd. had incurred an estimated loss of Rs. 252 million due to the Ditwah disaster. Officials representing the company further stated that since the expenditure required for the repair work could be covered with budgetary allocations already provided to them, no additional loan or grant was required.

Officials also informed the Committee that the National Water Supply and Drainage Board had incurred an estimated loss of Rs. 5.6 billion due to the disaster. The Secretary of the Ministry of Housing, Construction and Water Supply informed the Committee that 156 water supply schemes of the National Water Supply and Drainage Board were damaged, and that all of them had now been restored. The Secretary further informed the Committee that arrangements were being made to obtain the funds required for rehabilitation as a grant from the Asian Development Bank.

Accordingly, emphasising the importance of preparing plans to face potential future disasters, the Chairman of the Committee said the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Infrastructure and Strategic Development was ready to provide necessary support to the relevant ministries and officials for this purpose.

Members of Parliament Nalin Bandara Jayamaha, Ajith P. Perera, and Asitha Niroshana Egodavithana, along with a group of officials, were present at the discussion.

The expansion of Sri Lankan Ayurveda in the United Kingdom was marked a few days ago at the Sri Lanka High Commission in London, with the official launch of the Siddhalepa & Ayurveda Medical UK Collaborative. The occasion brought together dignitaries, Ayurvedic and medical professionals, wellness industry leaders, and members of the Sri Lankan and British communities to celebrate the formation of a strategic partnership aimed at improving access to authentic Sri Lankan Ayurveda medicine in the UK.

Delivering the welcome remarks, Dr Roshan Jayalath, Director of Ayurveda Medical UK, outlined the collaborative’s commitment to strengthening clinical standards, preserving cultural integrity, and enhancing global recognition of Sri Lanka’s rich medical heritage. Addressing the gathering, Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner in London, Nimal Senadheera, underscored the initiative’s significance in promoting Sri Lanka’s cultural legacy, deepening bilateral relations, and creating new opportunities for cooperation in the fields of Ayurveda and wellness. He reaffirmed the High Commission’s support for initiatives that elevate Sri Lanka’s international profile.

Joining the event virtually from Sri Lanka, Asoka Hettigoda, Chairman of the Siddhalepa Group, spoke of the company’s 200-year Ayurvedic lineage, its 90-year commercial history, and its standing as a global leader in authentic Ayurveda. This was followed by a presentation by Mrs. Shevanthie Goonesekera, titled The Origins of Siddhalepa, which traced the brand’s evolution and its enduring contribution to Sri Lanka’s cultural heritage.

Directors Prof Vijay Nayar and Dr Prag Moodley outlined the collaborative’s vision for a structured, clinically responsible model of Ayurveda practice in the UK, while Dr Vani Moodley spoke on Ayurvedic diagnostic principles and the philosophy underpinning the “Signs of Life” approach.

By Sujeeva Nivunhella
in London