Tsunami destroys 90 Local Government institutions

 
A total of 90 local Government Institutions and regions under their purview in the Southern, Western and North East Provinces were completely destroyed in the tsunami tidal wave catastrophe.
Of the 311 Local Government bodies, 90 institutions and regions have been destroyed. Of the 42 Local Government institutions in the Southern Province, 17 have been destroyed causing over Rs.450 million damage, Provincial Councils and Local Government Minister Janaka Bandara Tennakoon told the Daily News.
The Ministry has taken a number of measures to restore the affected Local Government institutions to their normal functioning as soon as possible.

The Moratuwa University has assisted the Ministry to formulate and supervise all the township development programs for these cities destroyed by tsunami disaster.  Several countries have also pledged assistance to rebuild these cities, the Minister said.

The tsunami devastation brought to a halt these functions in the Local Government institutions posing problems for the conduct of the local government activities in the tsunami affected areas.

The Southern Province Chief Minister alone has requested Rs. 31.5 million to pay the salaries of the employees in these 17 destroyed Local Government institutions in the Southern Province.
This is because the salaries are paid to the employees of these Local Government institutions by income self generated by these institutions. Therefore the Ministry has taken steps to pay the salaries to these employees on January 20 as usual, the Minister said.
 
 
 
   
Tennakoon following a discussion with the Local Government Heads last week has also decided to set up a special fund at the Ministry to implement long-term development projects to rebuild the damaged Local Government institutions and develop the infrastructure facilities in affected areas, he said.
The Minister said as agreed at this discussion that Rs. 50,000 will be collected to this fund from each of the 311 Pradeshiya Sabhas, Municipal Councils and Urban Councils.

In addition, seven Provincial Councils will also contribute to this fund. A sum of Rs.60 million has already been provided for this fund solely by the Local Government institutions in the North Western Province. This money will be utilised to construct 700 houses destroyed in the Southern Province.
Meanwhile, the vehicles belonging to the Local Government institutions have been sent for clearing work in the areas destroyed by tidal waves, he said.