Colombo: Following the ongoing protests against the ruling party in Sri Lanka due to the economic crisis, the state of emergency was lifted two weeks later.
Due to the ongoing economic crisis in Sri Lanka, people there have been engaged in nationwide struggles against the ruling party. President Gotabhaya Rajapakse declared a state of emergency in the country on May 6 following the violence in the protests. A state of emergency was declared for the second time in the same month.
In this case, the state of emergency will be lifted from midnight on Friday, the Sri Lankan president’s office said. It is reported that this step has been taken to improve law and order in the country.
The people have been waging a series of protests demanding the resignation of the Rajapaksa family, which has already mismanaged the Sri Lankan economy, which is already plagued by the Corona epidemic. Following this, the then Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned. This was followed by riots between his supporters and protesters. 9 people were killed in this riot; 200 people were injured.
New Cabinet: Following the resignation of Mahinda Rajapaksa, President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa appointed Ranil Wickremesinghe as the new Prime Minister of the country. Ranil Wickremesinghe, who came to power following the severe crisis in the country, has been engaged in various activities to rectify the situation. Nine ministers, including Ports and Shipping Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva, have been appointed to his cabinet. Meanwhile, there is a severe shortage of petrol, diesel and cooking gas. The public is waiting in long queues to get these.
In this context, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has stated that there is a risk of food shortages in Sri Lanka. He said: “The country does not currently have any chemical fertilizers required for the crop. Thus, there will be no production during the paddy growing season. Therefore, there is a risk of severe food shortages in Sri Lanka from next August. There is a global food crisis. We are trying to get the fertilizer needed for the season and the past government administration is responsible for this crisis in the country.
Appeal to people: We have come to the point of bankruptcy. Such a situation has never existed in Sri Lanka. We currently have no dollars. No rupee. We are not in a stable position. People can no longer bear the burden. I urge the people of this country to endure the current situation in this difficult situation. “
In view of the prevailing shortage of petrol and diesel in Sri Lanka, the Government of Sri Lanka has issued several important announcements yesterday. It has been announced that all government and government-licensed schools will be closed from the 20th (yesterday). No announcement has been made as to when the schools will open.
Similarly, the Sri Lankan Ministry of Public Administration has asked all officers other than those on essential duty not to come to work from the 20th (yesterday). The move is aimed at reducing traffic as fuel shortages increase.
Energy Minister Kanzana Wijesekera said, “The country does not have the foreign exchange to get the petrol stored off the coast of Sri Lanka. The shipping company already owes Rs 400 crore. After giving it, you can buy more petrol. So people should not wait for petrol stocks. ”
Cylinder price Rs. 5,000: Cooking gas cylinders, including fuel, have become more expensive than ever before. In Colombo, the price of a cylinder was Rs 2,675 last April. It has now risen to around Rs 5,000. Sri Lanka owes about US $ 5,000 crore to foreign banks and institutions. However, in the current context, Sri Lanka is in a situation where it is unable to repay the loan, said the Governor of the Central Bank of South Asia.