Sri Lanka's government is rolling out a special drinking water supply initiative for drought-affected areas including Batticaloa, Monaragala and Ampara, following discussions on the ongoing El Niño climate impacts.
The Sri Lankan government has announced plans to distribute drinking water to populations in districts experiencing severe dry conditions linked to the El Niño climate phenomenon. According to the President's Media Division, the initiative emerged from discussions at a high-level meeting held at the Presidential Secretariat on Monday, where senior government officials reviewed the country's response to the weather crisis.
The water distribution scheme will operate through district secretaries' offices, coordinating with local officials to ensure affected communities receive adequate supplies. The government is also preparing contingency measures in case dry conditions worsen and groundwater reserves continue to decline, according to officials present at the meeting.
Environment Minister Dammika Patabendi chaired the third meeting of the Special Ministerial Sub-Committee, which reviewed action plans from the plantation, agriculture, wildlife and water resources sectors—all vulnerable to prolonged El Niño conditions. The committee also considered forecasts from the Department of Meteorology to determine which sectors require protective measures.
Additional attendees included Housing, Construction and Water Supply Minister Dr. Susil Ranasinghe and Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe. Officials stressed the importance of keeping the public informed through media channels about developments related to the ongoing climate situation.
