The Hon. Governor of the Northern Province, N. Vethanayahan, stated that special funds will be allocated by the Central Government, in addition to the Provincial Council’s annual budget, to rebuild the infrastructure of the Northern Province affected by the Ditwah disaster.
A delegation led by Olivier Praz, Deputy Head of the Embassy of Switzerland in Sri Lanka, met with the Hon. Governor of the Northern Province at the Governor’s Secretariat on Tuesday morning (17 February 2026) and held discussions.
During the meeting, the Governor made the following remarks:
The Governor explained the damage caused in the Northern Province by the Ditwah disaster and outlined the measures being taken to address it. “The government has agreed to release the funds we requested to repair the affected infrastructure. This is an additional allocation, separate from the regular provincial budget,” the Governor pointed out.
The Governor also expressed concern that climate change has now emerged as a major challenge in the Northern Province. “Rainfall is now being recorded in months outside the normal rainy season. This has compelled farmers in the Northern Province to adjust their traditional cultivation calendar,” he explained.
Speaking on the occasion, the Deputy Ambassador informed the Governor that climate change is also a major challenge in Switzerland and outlined the infrastructure investments being undertaken in his country to address it. He further stated that he had personally visited several districts in the Northern Province to observe the prevailing conditions. He also noted that he had been briefed on projects previously implemented with financial assistance from the Swiss Government, as well as the impact of the Ditwah disaster on the affected communities.
The Deputy Prime Minister expressed his positive views on the numerous visits of His Excellency the President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to the Northern Province and welcomed the removal of the roadside security camps that had previously been in place.
Responding to these remarks, the Governor stated, “Roads that have long been within the High Security Zone are now being opened for public use, and lands are being released in phases. However, the expectations of the people remain high.”
Furthermore, the jurisdictions and activities of the Provincial Council, as well as the Kivul Oya project, were discussed during the meeting.
The Secretary to the Governor and the Coordinating Secretaries to the Governor were also in attendance.
