President extends declaration of essential services following Cyclone Ditwah

In response to the ongoing post-disaster situation caused by Cyclone Ditwah, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has extended the declaration of certain services as essential public services under the Essential Public Services Act, No. 61 of 1979.

The declaration, issued through a Gazette Extraordinary, specifies that services provided by public corporations, government departments, local authorities, and co-operative societies that are critical to the life and well-being of the community must be maintained without interruption.

The Schedule attached to the Order specifies essential services, including:

1. All services connected to the supply of electricity 
2. The supply or distribution of fuel, including petroleum products and gas 
3. All service, work or labour, of any description whatsoever, necessary or required to be done in connection with the maintenance, and the reception, care feeding and treatment, of patients in hospitals, nursing homes, dispensaries, and other similar institution 
4. Public transport services for the transportation of passengers or goods 
5. The Facilitation and maintenance of transportation services and tourism services by road, rail, or air, including highways, bridges, culverts, airports, ports, and railways 
6. All services connected to the supply of water and drainage 
7. All services connected with the supply, safeguard, and distribution of food and essential commodities 
8. All type of services, works, or labour contributions which should be carried out or required to be carried out by District Secretariats, Divisional Secretariats, Grama Niladharis, Samurdhi Development Officers, Agricultural Research Assistants, Community Empowerment Officers, Officers of the Clean Sri Lanka Centralized Team, including all field level officers of all District and Divisional Secretariats. 
9. Ambulance services 
10. All state banking and insurance services including the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. 
11. Any services carried out by any Local Authorities for the supply of water, electricity, drainage and sewerage systems, fire-fighting and ambulance services, scavenging and the removal of garbage (including the carriage and disposal of feces), and all services carried out by Local Authorities 
12. All services connected to the irrigation 
13. All services connected to the telephone, telecommunication, and media 
14. All services connected to the reclamation and development of low-lying lands 
15. All services connected to the agriculture and agricultural insurance services

The Gazette notes that this measure is intended to prevent interruptions in services essential to the community’s survival and recovery during the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah.

The Order, signed by the Secretary to the President, Dr. N. S. Kumanayake, came into effect on 28 January 2026.