Litro Gas has begun an initiative to donate a LPG cylinder, an accessory pack and a double burner cooker to 98 families affected by the Meethotamulla disaster. The initial donation to 30 families was held at the Laksanda Sevena Housing Complex in Salamulla, Kollonnawa at 10 a.m. this morning.

Those affected by the Meethotamulla disaster will be temporarily housed at Kolonnawa paddy warehouse, Disaster Management Minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa said today.

He said this was because the Terrence N. De Silva Maha Vidyalaya would open for the second term soon and the displaced will have to be evacuated from there. 

Addressing the press at a conference held today he also said the present government would take responsibility for the Meethotamulla tragedy since it occurred during their watch.

He said furthermore, that categorizing waste would be made mandatory in Colombo.

He said the government was looking at various other mechanisms to dispose garage in a sustainable manner.

President Maithripala Sirisena today, at a meeting with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and several other high-ranking Ministers gave order to have the Meethotamulla garbage dump cleared in the next few months under the supervision of the Sri Lanka Army.

He also ordered illegal settlements in the area banned.  

The President further stated that required activities for providing compensations to the victims should be done with extreme vigilance.

He requested the continuance of the assistance given by all institutions to provide relief to the victims.

At a meeting chaired by the President and the Prime Minister it was decided that an initial 98 would receive houses beginning tomorrow.

Over 150 houses were destroyed in the incident that took place on Friday (14), when a section of the Meethotamulla garbage dump collapsed on residents.

Thirty-two were killed in the incident; several more are missing and unaccounted for.

President Sirisena had also instructed officials to strengthen the process of providing infrastructure facilities to the affected people.

He asked that priority is given to evacuate people who are in the danger zone around the Meethotamulla disaster area.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Ministers Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Susil Premajayantha, Sagala Rathnayaka, Vajira Abeywardena, A. H. M. Fowzie, Chief Minister of Western Province Isura Dewapriya, Commanders of Tri Forces and the Inspector General of Police joined the discussion.

The valuation report on the damage caused by the Meethotamulla tragedy is expected to be completed today, Colombo District Secretariat sources said. 

The Meethotamulla tragedy occurred when a part of the garbage dump collapsed on residences, killing 32 persons.

The incident occurred as Sri Lankans were celebrating Avurudu on April 14.

The displaced from the Meethotamulla disaster have been temporarily housed at the Terrence N. Silva Maha Vidyalaya and other community centres.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe today promised each family would receive a house from the government.

Several cricketers attached to the national cricket team paid a visit to the centres where victims of the Meethotamulla tragedy are housed in a bid to offer support and boost morale.

The cricketers also took the occasion to install four televisions within the premises of where the victims are being houses for their entertainments.

The TVs were sponsored by Sri Lanka Cricket’s charity ‘Cricket Aid.’