President signs gazette declaring several services as essential

President Ranil Wickremesinghe has signed an extraordinary gazette declaring several services as essential services with immediate effect, the President Media Division (PMD) said.  

Accordingly, all services in connection with the passengers or goods, discharge, carriage, landing, storage, delivery and removal of articles of food or drink, or coal, oil, fuel from vessels within any port as essential services.  

Meanwhile, the provision and maintenance of facilities for transport services by road, rail or air, including roads, bridges, culverts, airports, ports and railway lines have been categorized under the essential services.