The price of sand has been fixed in the Mannar District, and approval has been granted for its distribution to other districts. In light of this, the Hon. Governor of the Northern Province, N. Vethanayahan, has instructed the Jaffna District Secretary to coordinate with the Mannar District Secretary and take immediate action to secure the sand required for the Jaffna District. The Governor further stated that the distribution of sand from Kilinochchi District to other districts will also commence shortly, ensuring a more stable and adequate supply across the Northern Province.
A special meeting was held today – on Tuesday 21 July 2026, at the Governor’s Secretariat to review the progress of the discussions conducted last March on regulating the supply of sand and gravel in the Northern Province. The meeting followed earlier discussions held with the participation of Saman Jayasinghe, Chairman of the Bureau of Geological Survey and Mines, to assess the implementation of the decisions reached and to expedite measures to ensure a stable and regulated supply of sand and gravel across the province.
Speaking at the outset of the meeting, the Hon. Governor highlighted the delays and practical difficulties encountered in obtaining permits for sand distribution. He recalled that the initial discussions with the Chairman of the Bureau of Geological Survey and Mines were convened to ensure that the public could access sand easily and at an affordable price. Stressing the importance of achieving this objective, the Governor emphasized the need to expedite the remaining administrative and operational measures to ensure the timely distribution of sand throughout the Northern Province.
The Chairman and the Director General of the Bureau of Geological Survey and Mines joined the meeting via Zoom and reviewed the progress made by the District Secretaries in implementing the decisions reached at the previous meeting. They inquired into the actions undertaken at the district level and assessed the current status of the measures introduced to facilitate the regulated distribution of sand and gravel across the Northern Province.
The current situation in each district was reviewed in detail during the meeting.
The Jaffna District Secretary pointed out that thousands of housing projects are currently being implemented across the district with funding from various sources, resulting in a significant demand for sand for construction activities. In view of this growing demand, he emphasized the urgent need to ensure an uninterrupted and adequate supply of sand while establishing an effective regulatory mechanism to manage its distribution.
The Mannar District Secretary reported that the regulation of sand distribution in the district is progressing smoothly. He stated that both the price of sand and the transportation charges for supplying sand to other districts have been fixed in accordance with the decisions of the Price Determination Committee. He further noted that the previous restriction on transporting sand outside the district has been lifted, enabling distribution to other districts. In addition, he informed the meeting that the process of washing and extracting sand from designated sand pits has been expedited to ensure a steady and uninterrupted supply.
The Kilinochchi District Secretary stated that, following the completion of sand mining operations, the process of obtaining the necessary approvals for sand distribution through the Pradeshiya Sabha has commenced. However, he pointed out that certain deficiencies in the applications submitted by the Pradeshiya Sabha had resulted in them being returned by the Bureau of Geological Survey and Mines for correction, causing unnecessary delays in the approval process.
He further explained that although contracts have already been awarded for the washing and extraction of sand from the designated sand pits, the work has been delayed due to the water level not having receded sufficiently. He expressed confidence that the operations would commence by the end of this month, after which the distribution of sand would proceed without interruption.
The Mullaitivu District Secretary informed the meeting that the issuance of permits for sand supply in the district has been temporarily suspended. He stated that the necessary approvals are expected to be granted within a week following a field inspection by the relevant authorities, after which sand distribution activities will resume.
Meanwhile, the Additional District Secretary of Vavuniya reported that there are no significant issues affecting the supply or distribution of sand in the Vavuniya District, and that the current supply system is functioning without major difficulties.
Concluding the discussion, the Hon. Governor directed the Bureau of Geological Survey and Mines to prepare and circulate a comprehensive list of the documents required for obtaining sand distribution permits in order to streamline the approval process and avoid unnecessary delays.
He also instructed all District Secretaries to convene coordination meetings on sand and gravel distribution at least once every month, with the participation of all relevant stakeholders, to review progress and promptly address any operational issues.
Furthermore, the Governor advised the District Secretaries to explore alternative mechanisms through other public institutions where local authorities are unable or unwilling to actively support the implementation of the sand distribution programme, ensuring that the supply process is not disrupted.
The meeting was attended by the Chief Secretary of the Northern Province, the Secretary to the Governor, the Secretary to the Provincial Ministry of Local Government, District Secretaries, the Deputy Chief Secretary – Engineering Services, Provincial Directors of the Department of Irrigation, Department of Buildings and Road Development Department, the Commissioner of Department of Local Government, Deputy Inspectors Generals of Police, representatives of the Central Environmental Authority, officials of the Forest Department, Secretaries of the Pradeshiya Sabhas, and other relevant government officials involved in the regulation and distribution of sand and gravel across the Northern Province.
