Government Reaffirms Support for Peradeniya University’s Recovery After Floods

Vithanage Erandi Kawshalya Madhushani, Jadetimes Staff

V.E.K. Madhushani is a Jadetimes news reporter covering innovation

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Image Source -: The Official Government News

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya said the Government is prepared to support the University of Peradeniya as it rebuilds after the floods that struck the campus on 27 November. She made this statement during her visit to the university on the 7th, where she met student representatives and Heads of Departments from the most affected areas.

The purpose of the visit was to assess the damage directly. The floods caused significant destruction to academic buildings, student facilities, and key infrastructure. University officials reported that the Faculties of Management, Agriculture, and Veterinary Medicine suffered some of the worst impacts, along with the IT Centre, CDCE, gymnasium, swimming pool, and playgrounds. They also noted major losses, including more than 110 computers, essential laboratory equipment, examination documents, and four central IT servers. Early estimates put the total damage at over Rs. 6 billion.

The Prime Minister commended the swift evacuation of nearly 750 students from hostels near the Mahaweli River and acknowledged the resilience of the nearly 11,000 students who stayed on campus during the crisis. She also expressed appreciation to the Sri Lanka Army, the Disaster Management Centre, and local donors for providing food, water, and other vital supplies when access to the campus was restricted.

A joint engineering team has confirmed that the buildings remain structurally sound, though several require urgent repairs. Academic activities have been suspended until 15 December.

In her discussions with the Vice Chancellor and emergency response teams, the Prime Minister outlined the steps needed to restore normal operations and support students affected by the disaster. Her directives included restoring essential services such as water, electricity, and safe access routes; accelerating repairs to damaged buildings and laboratories; strengthening early warning systems in flood-prone areas; and implementing long-term solutions such as riverbank protection, improved drainage, and relocating facilities at high risk of flooding. She instructed relevant agencies to expedite assistance and reaffirmed the Government’s full commitment to helping the university recover.

The meeting was attended by Mr. Nalaka Kaluwewa, Secretary to the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education; Kandy District MP Thanura Dissanayake; Professor Terrence Madhujith, Vice Chancellor; Professor R. W. Pallegama, Deputy Vice Chancellor; as well as Heads of Departments, officials, and student representatives.