SL troops to reach inaccessible villages in Nepal
It is for the first time that Sri Lankan troops are taking part in an overseas relief operation other than that of taking part in UN Peacekeeping Force, Prime Minister Rail Wickremesinghe told Parliament today.
He also said Sri Lanka was the second country to reach Kathmandu with a relief team and India managed to send rescue teams on Saturday itself while USA military too came in as the third country.
Informing the House about troops taking part in relief measures in Nepal, he said Lankan troops had previously taken part in UN peacekeeping operations but this was the first time a Lankan military plane had flown troops to a foreign nation to take part in a relief operation.
“The President and the Government wish to commend our troops who have gone to Nepal as well as the medical teams who joined with them,” the Prime Minister said while commending the courage displayed by the Sri Lankan Air Force to fly to an airport where all civil airlines have pulled-out as the air traffic control panel is not in operation at the time.
He added that Lankan troops are engaged in reaching villages that have been left inaccessible by the quake.
“There is a 60 kilometre stretch that has to be covered to reach the village. Due to the damages caused, it is not easy to reach some areas including a hospital which has remained inaccessible since the quake on Saturday,” he said.
The Prime Minister said that another air force plane will leave today for Kathmandu while SriLanakan Airline’s aircraft will leave on Wednesday carrying relief. “I urge all Sri Lankans to assist the people of Nepal in whatever way they can,” he said. (Gagani Weerakoon)
