Special Ministerial Sub-Committee and Officers’ Committee to counter El Niño impact

Sri Lanka’s Cabinet of Ministers has approved a proposal to appoint a Special Ministerial Sub-Committee and an Officers’ Committee to execute national-level actions in order to reduce the probable impact of the El Niño global climatic phenomenon.

Sri Lanka, being a country highly sensitive to climatic fluctuations, is at a higher risk of rainfall pattern changes, extreme temperature, droughts, and floods, is at a higher level owing to the El Niño impact, leading to risks of threats to many economic and social sectors in the country due to that, the cabinet spokesman said.

The Government has recognised the requirement of taking necessary hasty measures to face the severity of El Niño conditions that have been confirmed by scientific forecasts to take place towards the end of this year, with the climate change impact, he said.

Therefore, in order to reduce the probable impact, it has been decided to execute national-level actions strengthening the coordination in between state institutions, local government bodies, non–government organisations, the private sector and community-based organisations.

Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the President to take the following measures:

(i) Appointment of a Cabinet Sub–Committee comprised of the following Ministers for the preparation of short–term, mid–term, and annual plans to manage the water, electricity and food crisis, ensuring consolidated operations between all the state institutions and taking hasty decisions to minimise possible occurrences due to the El Niño condition:

• Minister of Environment, (Dr.) Dhammika Patabendi – (Chairman)

• Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation, K. D. Lalkantha

• Minister of Plantation Community Infrastructure Facilities, Samantha Vidyarathne

• Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation, and the Minister of Energy, Anura Karunathilake

• Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development, Wasantha Samarasinghe

• Minister of Housing, Construction and Water Supply, (Dr.) Susil Ranasinghe

(ii) Appointment of an Officers’ Committee consisted of the following officers to assist the Ministerial Sub Committee mentioned above.

• Presidential Chief of Staff – (Chairman)

• Secretary, Ministry of Environment

• Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation

• Secretary, Ministry of Plantation Community Infrastructure Facilities

• Secretary, Ministry of Energy