• To secure international reconstruction assistance a clear and credible damage assessment is a necessity
• Relevant institutions presently conducting assessment with expectation of WB and ADB development agencies involvement 
• Data to be collected on infrastructure, social sectors, production, other areas
• Completed assessments to be presented to development partners for further assistance

When Cyclone Ditwah ripped across Sri Lanka late last month (November 2025), it left a trail of destruction that pushed many areas to a standstill. Homes were damaged, neighbourhoods were inundated, power and water supply systems collapsed, and thousands were forced into temporary shelters as rains continued to batter already flooded Districts. In the midst of that chaos, the Government moved to declare a state of emergency and activated several Emergency Regulations (ERs) to stabilise the situation.

One of the key steps taken by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake was the reestablishment of the Office of the Commissioner General of Essential Services (OCGES) functioning under emergency regulations in keeping with the current disaster and relief procedures tasked with keeping the country running when almost every system is under pressure. The Office was set up under the ERs issued through Gazette Extraordinary 2464/31, and the Secretary to the Plantations and Community Infrastructure Ministry, Prabath Chandrakeerthi, was appointed as the CG of Essential Services on 29 November.

Since then, the OCGES has been coordinating with a wide network of Ministries, Departments, the Tri-Forces and the Police, Provincial authorities, and other State agencies to ensure that essential services such as electricity, water, fuel, transport, health, and supplies continue to function despite the scale of the disaster. Their work now stretches from overseeing clearing blocked roads and restoring power lines to mobilising support for displaced families, while also preparing for longer-term recovery efforts.

In an interview with The Daily Morning, Chandrakeerthi spoke at length about the mandate of the said Office, the challenges ahead, and the multi-layered coordination required to return the country to normalcy.

Following are excerpts from the interview:

What is the official mandate of the OCGES?

The President declared a state of emergency under the Public Security Ordinance through Gazette Extraordinary 2464/31 on 28 November. Under that Gazette, he has the authority to appoint a CGES to cover the entire country. That is how this Office was established and how I was appointed to lead it. Before that, the President had already declared 15 essential services. Our job is to implement those services across the country without interruption. We coordinate all related activities, identify gaps, and make sure that the public receives these services under difficult conditions. Essentially, this Office exists to protect the continuity of daily life when normal systems cannot function on their own.

What is the legal scope of your Office?

The legal authority comes directly from the Gazettes issued under the ERs. Those Regulations grant us the power to take the necessary steps to maintain and restore essential services. Everything that we do is within that legal framework.

Which key institutions are working with your Office, and how is coordination handled?

We have officers from a wide range of Ministries, Departments, and authorities assigned to this Office. They include officials from Ministries such as Public Administration; Transport and Highways; Urban Development; Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation; Housing, Construction and Water Supply; and several others. Under those Ministries, we work closely with the Electricity Board, the Petroleum Corporation, the Water Supply and Drainage Board, the Disaster Management Centre (DMC), the Consumer Affairs Authority, the Railways Department, the Transport Board, the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission, and the Land Development Corporation. We also work with the Tri-Forces and the Police. The Provincial, District, and Divisional Secretaries coordinate with us as well. When we receive information about disruptions, we verify the details through these institutions, assign responsibilities, and take steps to restore services. The entire system works like a joint operations centre because no single institution can handle such a large-scale disaster alone.

How does your Office obtain financial allocations for its operations?

At the moment, the funding that we require comes through the Presidential Secretariat. Over time, the plan is to evolve into a separate office with its own budget and financial structure. But, right now, we are operating under the Presidential Secretariat for immediate needs.

Do essential goods also come directly under your purview?

Essential goods don’t fall directly under our direct purview. But, if there is a disruption or a shortage, we intervene. For example, to prevent a shortage of vegetables, the Food Security Committee recommended importing frozen vegetables for two months. Our Office helped coordinate that process. So, even though essential goods are not listed under us, we have the authority to step in whenever necessary to avoid shortages or disruptions.

What is the current stock of essential goods in the country?

We don't have an idea about the stocks of essential goods as it doesn't come under our direct purview. That responsibility lies with the Trade, Commerce, and Food Security Ministry and the other relevant institutions. What we can say is that none of those agencies have reported any shortages so far. The focus right now is on restoring cultivation. Around 137,000 acres of paddy were damaged because of the floods and other disasters. Restoring those lands this month (December) is a priority. If that happens, we don’t expect a shortage of rice or other essential goods. The Agriculture Ministry, the Trade, Commerce, and Food Security Ministry, and the Food Security Committee will intervene as needed.

How are safe centres across the country being managed?

Safe centre management is handled mainly through District and Divisional Secretaries, with the DMC working closely alongside them. Many people are already returning home, except for those whose houses are in unsafe locations. For families who cannot return, we are looking at alternatives, such as temporary rental assistance. What we won’t do is send people back to areas that are identified as dangerous or unstable. Those areas will require long-term solutions, and we will provide alternatives when those decisions are finalised.

How is private-sector and international assistance being managed?

The intention is to bring all private-sector contributions and non-governmental organisation (NGO) funds into the Rebuild Sri Lanka Fund. That allows proper coordination. Right now, we are receiving direct relief support from several foreign countries. We have moved out of the rescue phase and are now in the relief phase. The next phase is reconstruction, and that is where we will need the most support. To secure international assistance for reconstruction, we must have a clear and credible damage assessment. The relevant institutions are now working on that assessment. Once it is ready, we can present it to our development partners and seek further assistance.

How will you ensure essential supplies and services during the upcoming festive season?

There may be some impact during Christmas because many crops and livestock farms have been wiped out, and restoring them will take some time. But, by the Sinhala and Tamil New Year, the Maha cultivation season harvest will be available. We also expect quick harvests from short-term crops within two months. Based on what we see, there will be no shortages by April. For Christmas, we will take every possible step to maintain supplies.

What steps are being taken to ensure that marginalised and remote communities receive adequate relief?

We make it a point to intervene to support all affected communities. There are areas that were not directly hit by floods or landslides but were isolated because access roads were blocked. With the support of the Air Force, we provided relief to those places as well. No affected community will be ignored.

What challenges are you facing in implementing your responsibilities?

One major challenge is resettling people who are currently in camps. When a house is totally destroyed, the Government will provide new land and housing. But, the difficult cases are the ones with partial and minor damage. Those houses must be inspected by the National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) before deciding as to whether they are safe to live in. This process takes time because there are only a limited number of expert officers available. We are also receiving technical support from the Moratuwa University, the Peradeniya University, and the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau. That will help speed up inspections. Another challenge is restoring damaged infrastructure that requires specialised technical knowledge. Railway lines, for example, need expert engineers. We may need foreign support for some of those repairs.

How will data collection and damage assessments be carried out?

We expect to carry out these assessments through development agencies such as the World Bank (WB) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Their involvement is important. Data will be collected separately on infrastructure, social sectors, production, and other areas. Once that assessment is complete, we can move forward with reconstruction work in a more organised way.

What support have you received from the political authorities?

We are receiving full support from the political leadership, including the President. They have given us the freedom and backing that we need to carry out our responsibilities.

There are allegations that some areas are not receiving adequate relief. Is your Office aware of this, and how will you ensure equitable distribution?

We have reached even the most isolated areas with the support of the Air Force. So, it’s difficult to accept that any truly affected community received no relief. The issue sometimes arises when donations are sent through intermediaries. They promise to distribute aid but may not actually do so. That is why we are asking the public and donors to channel their contributions through State mechanisms, District Secretariats and Divisional Secretariats, to make sure that the aid reaches the right people.

How do you plan to ensure continuity in essential health, education, and transport services during this emergency?

The school system has experienced only minor damages compared to the other sectors. We aim to reopen all schools by 16 December. The President’s Fund will provide Rs. 25,000 to every student affected by the disaster. In the health sector, most affected hospitals have already returned to normal operations. Field hospitals were set up in severely affected areas to make sure that people still had access to healthcare. On the transport side, repair work on damaged roads, bridges, and sections of the railway network is already underway to restore regular services as quickly as possible.

How long will the Office have to operate for?

This Office was established under the ERs Gazette. We will continue to operate until the country reaches a reasonable level of recovery. After that, the Government will decide on the future of the Office.