Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2023-09-04

Working under an Integrated approach treating the need for water management as an emergency situation

- A report released on 2023‑08‑22 by the National Disaster Relief Centre has shown that owing to the prevailed dry weather condition, around 84,000 families in 70 divisional secretariat divisions belonging to 17 districts of the Island have to face a shortage of drinking water. Under that backdrop, the existing limited water capacities should be utilized and managed in an optimal manner until an adequate capacity of water is collected in the reservoir systems in the country. According to the National Water Resources Policy approved by the Cabinet on 2023‑07‑10, priority should be given to providing drinking water, and the government is also committed to protect other water stakeholders. Accordingly, the proposals stated in the joint Cabinet Memorandum submitted by the Prime Minister in his capacity as the Minister of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government; the Minister of Irrigation and the Minister of Water Supply and Estate Infrastructure Development to treat the supply of drinking water as an urgent and priority requirement until there is a sufficient rainfall and to function the National Water Resources Council proposed by the National Water Resources Policy as an Urgent Action Committee in order to take necessary action for the purpose, was approved by the Cabinet.