Government officials in the Kalpitiya Divisional Secretariat have temporarily withdrawn from distributing disaster relief after a series of alleged attacks and threats by individuals obstructing their duties, the Sri Lanka United Grama Niladhari Association (SLUGNA) said.
SLUGNA President Nandana Ranasinghe said five Grama Niladharis involved in relief distribution were assaulted, while four others received threats at their workplaces and homes. He attributed the unrest to public frustration caused by unclear government circulars on subsidy distribution.
“We urge the government to issue clear circulars and media statements that the public can easily understand and follow. We also request adequate security for state officials involved in this process. Until these issues are addressed, all officials in the Kalpitiya DS Division have decided to temporarily withdraw from subsidy distribution,” Ranasinghe said.
Kalpitiya Divisional Secretary P.G.S.N. Priyadarshani said that officials had faced threats, adding that the incidents stemmed largely from a lack of public understanding about eligibility criteria and procedures related to government-provided subsidies.
Authorities have not yet announced when relief distribution will resume or whether additional security measures will be deployed to protect officials engaged in the process.
Leave a comment