Special Cabinet Subcommittee begins El Niño preparedness planning

The Special Cabinet Subcommittee and the Officials' Committee, appointed to take the necessary measures to address the potential impacts of the forthcoming El Niño climate phenomenon, held their inaugural meeting on the 30th of June at the Presidential Secretariat under the chairmanship of the Minister of Environment, Dr. Dammika Patabendi.

The Special Cabinet Subcommittee and the Officials' Committee were established by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to formulate the necessary short, medium and long-term plans to ensure food security, water management and energy conservation. The Committees are also tasked with ensuring effective coordination among all government institutions, facilitating integrated operations and taking prompt action to minimise disaster risks through public awareness initiatives.

The Cabinet Subcommittee comprises the following Ministers:
K. D. Lal Kantha, Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation; Samantha Vidyarathna, Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure; Anura Karunathilaka, Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation and Minister of Energy; Wasantha Samarasinghe, Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development; and Susil Ranasinghe, Minister of Housing, Construction and Water Supply.

During the meeting, letters of appointment were also presented to the members of the Officials' Committee.

It was revealed that, based on the current assessment of the El Niño situation, there is a 63% probability of a strong El Niño event and a 33% probability of a weak event. In light of this, particular attention should be directed towards drinking water, irrigation and energy supplies.

As global El Niño conditions are expected to result in varying levels of drought or reduced rainfall in Sri Lanka, the relevant ministries and departments were instructed to prepare, within two weeks, a comprehensive action plan outlining the measures required to respond effectively to all possible scenarios.

It was also decided that, instead of issuing differing interpretations of the El Niño situation, official statements on the matter would be released solely by the Department of Meteorology.

Among those present at the meeting were Prabath Chandrakeerthi, Secretary and Convener of the Special Cabinet Subcommittee, Chairman of the Officials' Committee and Chief of Staff to the President.; Anjali Kumaratunga, Secretary to the Ministry of Environment; D.P. Wickramasinghe, Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation; K.A. Vimalenthirarajah, Secretary to the Ministry of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development; Engineer Kumudulal Bogahawatta, Secretary to the Ministry of Housing, Construction and Water Supply; together with officials from the relevant ministries and departments.

-PMD