A coordination meeting on the construction of interim shelters for communities affected by the Cyclone ‘Ditwah’ was held at the Army Headquarters under the patronage of the Deputy Minister of Defence, Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd).

The discussion focused on reviewing progress and expediting the implementation of interim shelter projects in the worst affected districts of Kegalle, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya and Badulla, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.

The primary objective of the program is to temporarily resettle approximately 1,000 displaced persons in safe and habitable shelters. Construction is scheduled to commence in the first week of May and to be completed within a short timeframe, utilizing the engineering expertise and manpower of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA).

The Deputy Minister emphasized that the initiative is being implemented under the Government’s ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ program and instructed the Army to submit a detailed implementation plan with a clear time schedule to ensure timely completion.

It was also noted that the process of identifying suitable lands for construction is currently underway with the assistance of the respective District Secretaries and the National Building Research Institute (NBRI), ensuring compliance with safety standards.

The Deputy Minister further stressed the importance of maintaining transparency, accountability and quality assurance, while enhancing coordination among all stakeholders to avoid delays.

The meeting was attended by the Commander of the Army, senior Ministry officials and representatives from the Disaster Management Division, National Housing Development Authority (NHDA), National Building Research Institute (NBRI) and other relevant institutions, the Ministry added.