2024-06-24
News Categories : Committee News
Attention directed towards drinking water issue suffered by people of Avissawella for 29 years - People allege that the reason is unauthorized gem mining
The Committee on Ways and Means of Parliament met on 20.06.2024 under the Chairmanship of Member of Parliament Hon. Patali Champika Ranawaka, at the Parliament premises.
Whilst the Budget 2024 report prepared by the Verité Research Institute was taken up for discussion here, the representatives of the said institute made an introduction regarding their report to the Committee on Ways and Means. By providing a background on the objectives of the report and the budgeting process in Sri Lanka, attention was drawn to the various shortcomings in the 2024 budget. The report states that since 1991, Sri Lanka's failure to meet budget targets has continuously increased the budget deficit. Furthermore, this report presented data on the revenue targeted by the 2023 budget, the revenue collected as well as the revenue expected to be collected through the increase in tax rates for the year 2024.
The Chair of the Committee requested the representatives of Verité Research Institute to calculate whether the expected revenue from the Value Added Tax is a realistic value. Moreover, he requested that a report be submitted on the impact of inflation on government revenue during the period 2022 – 2024 to the Committee on Ways and Means Committee.
In addition, a request was made to provide a research report related to the property tax proposed by the government to the Committee on Ways and Means. The Committee's next focus was on a petition submitted by five petitioners living in the Avissawella area. Accordingly, attention was paid to check the supply of drinking water mixed with mud by the National Water Supply and Drainage Board.
Accordingly, the Avissawella center of the National Water Supply Board revealed that the drinking water provided to the people of Avissawella and Talduwa for about 29 years is in a very feculent condition, and it was revealed that about 33,000 people in 8752 water connections are affected by this.
The National Water Supply and Drainage Board stated that this situation has developed due to the damage to the water treatment system due to the unauthorized and irregular dredging of the Sitawaka river. The Chair of the Committee inquired whether a formal investigation was conducted and a complaint was made to the Gem and Jewelery Authority regarding this situation, and the Water Supply and Drainage Board stated that although complaints were made to the Gems and Jewelery Authority, the Police and the Central Environment Authority in this regard, A proper solution was not found.
As the existing water treatment system is about 50 years old, a proposal for a new water treatment system (Rs. 1600 million) has been prepared as a solution, and it was also revealed that a tender call has not been made yet. It was also stated that it will take a long time of 2 years to complete the entire process. Furthermore, the petitioners pointed out that if it is possible to obtain water from the area 500 meters above the current water intake location, there will be a solution.
The Committee Chair, Hon. Patali Champika Ranawaka instructed that the existing system will have to be shut down for about two weeks at the start of the two-year process, so that a temporary alternative for water supply should be found during that period. The Chair instructed to check the possibility of getting water supply connection from Kalatuwa area and to convene another meeting to discuss this matter on the 10th of the coming month for this purpose.
In addition, the Committee Chair informed the National Water Supply and Drainage Board to give a report regarding the approximate cost of the low-cost project that can be brought as an alternative to the proposed water treatment system, which is currently estimated at 1600 million rupees. It was also advised to submit a report regarding the determination (Time Line) before the Committee.
2026-05-26
The Central Provincial Council was summoned before the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) to examine the Auditor General’s triennial report for the years 2021–2023, the Auditor General’s report for 2024, and the Council’s current performance.The committee meeting, chaired by Hon. Member of Parliament Kabir Hashim, was held recently at Parliament.During the meeting, attention was drawn to the progress made in implementing recommendations issued at the COPA meeting held on 5th September, 2019. Discussions focused on the incident involving the destruction of files belonging to the Central Provincial Passenger Transport Authority.It was revealed that directives issued by the relevant court and the Presidential Secretary regarding the incident had not been implemented by the responsible authorities. In this regard, the Committee Chairman instructed officials of the Central Provincial Council to submit all reports and correspondence related to the incident to the committee.In addition, the committee discussed an incident involving the unlawful transfer of a rest house owned by the Road Development Authority to a third party in violation of lease conditions. Accordingly, the Chairman instructed officials to identify the officers responsible for making the relevant decisions and to submit a report to the committee on the legal action being taken in connection with the matter.The committee also held extensive discussions on irregularities identified by the National Audit Office in road development and passenger transport services in the Central Province, as well as issues affecting the health sector.Expressing his views during the meeting, the Chairman emphasized the importance of expediting ongoing investigations within institutions and focusing on follow-up action. He further stressed that if a state institution generates profits, such profits should accrue to the government, and if such revenue is used for institutional activities, established legal provisions and procedures must be strictly followed.The meeting was attended by committee members Hon. Members of Parliament Dr. M.L.A.M. Hizbullah, Ruwanthilaka Jayakody, Attorney-at-Law Thushari Jayasinghe, Sunil Rathnasiri, Oshani Umanga, Susantha Kumara Navarathna, Ajantha Gammeddage, Chanaka Madugoda, T.K. Jayasundara and Lal Premanath along with a group of government officials.
2026-05-26
The Parliamentary Select Committee of Parliament to look into and report to Parliament on the matter of selecting the Electoral System under which the Provincial Council Elections should be held and submit its proposals and recommendations in that regard, recently sought views from the Attorney General’s Department and members of the Election Commission.The discussion took place when the committee met in Parliament under the chairmanship of Hon. Minister Vijitha Herath.During the meeting, the Attorney General’s Department briefed the committee on the existing legal obstacles to holding Provincial Council elections and the possible ways in which such obstacles could be removed to facilitate the conduct of the elections.The Election Commission informed the committee that it is prepared to conduct Provincial Council elections at any time under the legal provisions enacted by Parliament based on the committee’s recommendations.The meeting was attended by Hon. Deputy Ministers Arun Hemachandra, Sunil Watagala, Attorney-at-Law and Muneer Mulaffer as well as committee members Hon. Members of Parliament Mano Ganesan, Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam, Dharmapriya Wijesinghe, Samanmali Gunasinghe and Lakshman Nipuna Arachchi. The committee member M. Nizam Kariapper, P.C also participated virtually.
2026-05-25
The Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus has decided to examine the ongoing legal proceedings and matters relating to the protection of the girl involved in the sexual abuse incident reported from the Anuradhapura area.This decision was taken during the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus meeting chaired by Hon. Minister Saroja Savithri Paulraj, held in Parliament today (May 25). Accordingly, a special discussion has been scheduled for 05.06.2026 with the participation of relevant institutions including the Sri Lanka Police, the Attorney General’s Department, the National Child Protection Authority and the Department of Probation and Child Care Services.In addition to the incident, which has generated significant public concern, the discussion is also expected to focus extensively on strengthening the laws and empowering the institutions required to prevent all forms of violence against women and children.Meanwhile, it was also decided to appoint a subcommittee under the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus to oversee the future legal proceedings relating to the Anuradhapura girl’s case and to identify the institutional and legal reforms required in the country to eliminate violence against women and children.The subcommittee will be led by the deputy co-chairs of the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus Hon. Members of Parliament Samanmali Gunasinghe and Attorney-at-Law Chamindrani Kiriella. The other members of the subcommittee will be Hon. Hemali Weerasekara, Dr. Kaushalya Ariyarathna, Attorney-at-Law Sagarika Athauda, Attorney-at-Law Nilanthi Kottahachchi, Attorney-at-Law Nilusha Lakmali Gamage, Attorney-at-Law Thushari Jayasinghe, Attorney-at-Law Anushka Thilakarathna, Attorney-at-Law Hasara Liyanage, Attorney-at-Law Hiruni Wijesinghe and Attorney-at-Law Lakmali Hemachandra.
2026-05-25
The progress of implementing the new education reforms was reviewed at a recent meeting of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Education, Manpower and Human Capital, chaired by Hon. Member of Parliament Hesha Withanage Ankumbura Arachchi. During the meeting held in Parliament on the 19th, extensive discussions were held on the implementation of the new education reforms.Secretary to the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, Mr. Nalaka Kaluwewa, briefed the committee on the manner in which the new education reforms are being implemented.The meeting was attended by Hon. Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa, committee members, provincial education secretaries, school principals, and several other officials.
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