President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has issued an extraordinary gazette notification declaring a number of services, including the supply of electricity, as essential services.

The gazette has been issued by the President by virtue of the powers vested in him in terms of Section 2 of the Essential Public Services Act, No. 61 of 1979, due to the severe adverse weather conditions currently prevailing in the country.

Other services that have been declared as essential services include the supply or distribution of fuel, including petroleum products and gas, services related to hospitals, public transport, water supply and drainage with effect from today.

Services declared as essential services:

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.