Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that the primary cause of flooding in Colombo city is unauthorized construction driven by personal political interests.
She made these remarks while participating in the Colombo District Disaster Management Committee meeting.
“It is very clear that the people of the Colombo District are facing such a dangerous situation due to decisions taken without proper planning and based on political agendas—especially personal political agendas. As presented by the President, we confirmed that such unauthorized constructions and developments in high-risk areas will not be permitted in the future. We also discussed that people living in risky areas in the Colombo District should consider alternative options.”
Further commenting, she said that steps would be taken to introduce a general plan for flood control in the Colombo District.
“We cannot allow unauthorized construction and settlements in the name of development in the Colombo District without proper planning and without assessing the required regulations. To ensure the safety of the people of Colombo, we will not allow floods to become a routine part of their lives every year. We have engaged with the relevant institutions regarding the necessary measures. Accordingly, we have proposed that all institutions work together to present a unified plan for flood control in the Colombo District and act accordingly.”
