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Govt eases food shortage in Vanni

by Florence Wickramage

The CWE despatched 270 metric tonnes of rice to the Vanni during the last two days to ease an acute shortage of food.

Minister of Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Refugees, Dr. Jayalath Jayewardena said yesterday that the shortage of food has led to unrest in the district. Since this was a human problem, he had instructed the CWE to take immediate action to despatch rice to the Vanni and Jaffna districts.

He said this situation has arisen because the Commissioner General of Essential Services (CGES) had not sent essential foodstuff to the Vanni during the last four or five days.

The Minister regretted the non-cooperation of the CGES in assuring a smooth supply of foodstuff to the North and the East.

In December, 270 metric tonnes of rice had been sent to the Vanni. The Ministry had taken steps to increase the number of lorries transporting rice to the Vanni and Jaffna districts from 22 to 30 since December 21 last year. The population in the Vanni district is 375,000 while 500,000 people live in Jaffna.

Dr. Jayalath Jayawardena said the food shortage had arisen due to the lack of buffer stocks in the Vanni district, unlike in Jaffna.

The Government Agent for Mullaitivu Mr. S. Sundaram said that floods had created havoc in all the AGA divisions in the district and destroyed crops and vegetation.

Additional General Managers of the CWE Ms. Indrani Wimalasena and Tissa Deheragoda, Mr. Sripathi Sooriarachchi, Commissioner General of Essential Services, Mr. A. Jayaratnam Secretary to the Ministry and Mr. Vamadevan Chairman RANN were also present. 

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