The government has enlisted the Sri Lanka Army to clean and conduct minor repairs on paddy warehouses across the country as part of the ongoing Clean Sri Lanka national program. This initiative aligns with the government’s plan to purchase and store the Maha season’s paddy harvest in 209 warehouses managed by the Paddy Marketing Board.
The warehouses, many of which have been unused for a long time, require cleaning and minor maintenance to ensure proper storage conditions for the paddy. Responding to this national need, the Army, under the guidance of the Secretary of Defense and the leadership of Commander Lieutenant General Lasantha Rodrigo, has mobilized its personnel to support the initiative.
The warehouse cleaning program will be carried out by all Security Force Headquarters island-wide from January 18 to January 27, 2025. Initial efforts have already commenced, with Army teams actively cleaning and repairing warehouses in several regions.
The decision to involve the military comes in the wake of a recent government statement emphasizing that security force members would not be engaged in activities outside their core security operations. However, the government justified the move as a necessary step to meet the national requirement of ensuring proper storage facilities for the paddy harvest.
This collaboration between the government and the Army demonstrates a concerted effort to maintain the integrity of Sri Lanka’s food storage infrastructure and ensure the success of the Clean Sri Lanka initiative.
