New system to distribute vegetables from economic centres through divisional secretariats

By Sheain Fernandopulle and yoshitha perera  

The Government has decided to close all Economic Centres in the country to prevent people from gathering into economic centres exposing them to the threat of Coronavirus spreading, informed sources said.  
The Presidential Task Force to Coordinate and Monitor the Delivery of Continuous Services for the Sustenance of Overall Community Life headed by Basil Rajapaksa, has taken pertinent measures in relation to distribution of goods to the people.   

Sources said that there is a system in place to purchase vegetables and fruits from farmers and distribute them through Divisional Secretariats throughout the island. This will be coordinated via emails, WhatsApp and fax.  
Five special economic centres like Dambulla, Thambuttegama, Nuwara Eliya, Welimada and Embilipitiya have been identified for this purpose.   

A circular describing this, has been issued by the Secretary to the Public Administration and Home Affairs ministry.   

Sources stressed that people need not come to economic centres to buy goods because all necessary steps had been taken to bring the products to the masses instead of gathering around economic centres.   
The decision was taken after discussing at length the behaviour of the people in economic centres when the curfew is relaxed.  

Meanwhile, former Minister of Sports and Industries of Central Province Pramitha Bandara Tennakoon told Daily Mirror that the Dambulla Dedicated Economic Centre was closed until further notice.  

“The distribution of goods at the Dambulla Economic Centre will be done as per the instructions stipulated by the government,” he added.