State Irrigation and Water Resources and Disaster Management Minister Palitha Range Bandara said yesterday, that Sri Lanka had been placed fourth in the Global Climate Risk Index published by the German Watch, this year.
It revealed the situation Sri Lanka was in with regard to climate change, he said, adding that urgent measures were necessary to face challenges posed by natural disasters. Addressing a media briefing held in Colombo, yesterday, he said, "The country had been in the 98th position in 2016. This new development warns that we may have to face a range of adverse climatic conditions in future."
He said the Disaster Management Ministry, in collaboration with local government bodies, provincial councils, the Road Development Authority, Central Environment Authority, Agrarian Services Department and the Agriculture Ministry, would create guidelines to make the consideration of climatic aspects compulsory with regard to constructions.
Especially when building permits are issued by local government bodies, they have to ensure that disaster situations have been taken into account for building constructions. "A survey was recently carried out to identify river basins vulnerable to floods," the state minister said, "We will be developing the 10 most affected river valleys to mitigate possible disasters."
"Steps will also be taken to formulate disaster contingency plans and to form a volunteer disaster management force at every divisional secretariat, to respond to disasters effectively," State Minister Bandara said.
Add new comment