President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has issued an extraordinary gazette notification declaring several key sectors, including the supply of electricity, as essential services with immediate effect.
The gazette has been issued under the powers vested in the President by Section 2 of the Essential Public Services Act, No. 61 of 1979, in view of the severe adverse weather conditions currently affecting the country.
Accordingly, a wide range of services have been designated as essential to ensure the uninterrupted provision of basic necessities and the safety and wellbeing of the public. These include the supply and distribution of electricity, fuel (including petroleum products and gas), hospital and healthcare services, public transport, water supply and drainage, and ambulance services.
The declaration also covers services related to road, rail, air, port and airport operations, tourism-related transport facilities, irrigation, agriculture and agricultural insurance, food supply and distribution of essential commodities, as well as telecommunication, media, and land reclamation activities.
In addition, all services carried out by district and divisional secretariats, local authorities, state banking and insurance institutions including the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, and other government field-level officers have been classified as essential to ensure the continuity of public administration and emergency response efforts during this period.
