No Fees for Post-Mortems of Disaster Victims, Examiners' Association Declares

 The All Ceylon Inquirers into Sudden Deaths Association has decided not to accept any allowances provided by the government for post-mortem examinations conducted on the bodies of individuals who lost their lives due to natural disasters such as floods and landslides across the island, caused by the impact of the "Ditwa" cyclone.

Considering the significant expenses and hardships the government has to bear in the face of the emergency disaster situation, this humanitarian decision was made as a gesture of support for the program to restore people's lives to normalcy, stated Mr. Anura Herath, the president of the association.

With the heavy rains that fell in recent days, a large number of deaths were reported in several districts including Kandy, Matale, Nuwara Eliya, Kurunegala, and Badulla. Inquirers into Sudden Deaths worked with great dedication to promptly release these bodies to their relatives. The president recalled that even when roads were blocked and traffic was halted due to landslides in areas such as Hanguranketha, Ududumbara, and Nawalapitiya, the inquirers walked distances of 20 to 25 kilometers to perform their duties.

Normally, the government pays a specific allowance for each sudden death inquiry, but

given the difficult situation the country is facing, it has been decided, with the majority consent of the members, not to accept these funds for disaster-related deaths. Mr. Anura Herath further stated that this action by the inquirers, who served the affected people even risking their own lives, is a commendable example.