Murunga leaf story a fake, says PMD

The Presidential Media Division (PMD) yesterday said the media had reported an incident where an elderly couple at Galenbindunuwewa had allegedly lived on Murunga leaves after remaining hungry for several days.

In a statement, the PMD said President Maithripala Sirisena taking special interest on the shocking news item had appointed a committee to look into it and establish the veracity of the facts.

“It has been revealed that the media has published the news item without checking facts connected to the eating of Murunga leaves. It is correct to say that this area has been subjected to severe drought for the last three years and the people have taken the brunt of it.

“However, this particular couple does not live in such extreme poverty as portrayed by the media. This has been admitted by the family members of the couple and neighbours,” the statement said.

It said that the couple had obtained drought relief distributed by the Government continually and the husband who is suffering from renal failure has also obtained financial assistance entitled for kidney patients and Samurdhi benefits.

“The committee to establish the truth has contacted almost all the relevant State agencies like Divisional Secretariat, Agrarian Services Department, Agrarian Insurance Board, Grama Niladhari, Development Officer and Agrarian Research officer and all of them had vouched that the couple was not so poor as to live on murunga leaves,” the statement said.