Indian aid for Sri Lanka flood victims arrive

Responding to a request from the Sri Lankan government for urgent flood relief, the Government of India has sent a relief package of $1 million.


An Indian Air Force aircraft carrying the first consignment of about 25 tonnes of this assistance arrived in Colombo this morning.
The relief package consists of dry rations (sugar, pulses, salt and some condiments), Meals Ready to Eat, malted food, blankets, mattresses, bed sheets, and water purification kits tablets, a press release from the High Commission said.
The second consignment of relief material from India is expected to reach Colombo on 17 January 2011.
Indian High Commissioner in Colombo Ashok K. Kantha has symbolically handed over the relief items to Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa today at the Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake.


Disaster Management Minister Mahinda Amaraweera, his deputy Duleep Wijesekara, together with other senior officers of the Sri Lankan government were present at the occasion.
Speaking on the occasion, Basil Rajapaksa thanked the Government and the people of India for rushing this assistance to Sri Lanka at such short notice adding that India was always the first to respond to Sri Lankan's call for assistance.
High Commissioner Kantha has said that the assistance was a gesture of solidarity on the part of the people and the Government of India with the people and the Government of Sri Lanka. He has added that India stood ready to provide further help to meet this humanitarian challenge.
Distribution of the relief material received from India is likely to begin on Saturday, 15 January 2011 in Batticaloa, the release said.