Oxfam Great Britain is making available Pounds Sterling 22,750 (Rs. 2,958,000) for drought relief in Sri Lanka’s Moneragala District.

"The water supply in the area has been greatly disrupted and safe drinking water is hard to come by. Therefore we will be supplying 50 nos. of 2,000 litre water storage tanks, and 1,250 Jerry Cans of 25 litres each for water collection and storage to help approximately 6,000 people. We will also pay the rental costs for three water trucks (bowsers) for a two-month period", says Phil Esmonde, Oxfam’s Programme Representative in Sri Lanka.

Oxfam support will be provided through a local partner NGO and will assist 1,250 families in the Wellawaya Division in Moneragala.

"To ensure people drink safe water our programme will also include a water hygiene component", adds Mr. Esmonde. "What Oxfam GB can offer at this time meets only a small fraction of the actual need, but we felt it important to respond to the current critical situation, especially in the hard-hit South".

The country and especially the South, has been hit by drought that has affected the lives of thousands of people in Sri Lanka. The general consensus of those who have been watching the situation closely at the ground is that "the coping mechanisms of people are becoming exhaustible".

Oxfam says substantial rainfall in the next 4-6 weeks will be crucial in order to avoid further suffering and hardship. "If the situation continues to worsen, we will assess further emergency response possibilities", says the Oxfam Representative.