The Sri Lanka Coast Guard is to lead a new multi-stakeholder committee tasked with building a coordinated national mechanism for drowning prevention and lifesaving, following a progress review held at the Parliament Complex.
The meeting assessed work on the framework since an earlier high-level discussion and focused on strengthening inter-agency cooperation to reduce water-related deaths. It was co-chaired by Deputy Minister of Defence Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd.), Deputy Minister of Education and Higher Education Dr. Madhura Senevirathna, and Deputy Minister of Youth Affairs Dinindu Saman Hennayake.
Deputy Minister Jayasekara said the rising number of drowning deaths was a significant public safety and national security concern, stressing the need for a structured, coordinated and sustainable national mechanism to address it effectively.
Officials agreed to establish a committee headed by the Sri Lanka Coast Guard, with representation from all relevant institutions, to formulate a practical and durable national framework for implementation across the country.
Among those present were the Chiefs of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army, Navy and Air Force, the Director General of the Sri Lanka Coast Guard, and representatives from several ministries and government agencies.
The initiative builds on a consultative process launched earlier this year, which brought together the tri-forces, the Disaster Management Centre, police and the Sri Lanka Life Saving Association to tackle a recurring pattern of fatal drownings at the country’s rivers, reservoirs and beaches — incidents that spike during holiday seasons and carry implications for public safety and tourism.
