Sri Lanka's top relief services official admitted Wednesday that Tsunami relief operation had been unsatisfactory even after one month of the disaster.

Tilak Ranaviraja, Commissioner General of Essential Services, told reporters that only 30 percent of the victims had received relief supplies.

He said President Chandrika Kumaratunga had ordered him to ensure at least 70 percent of the victims receiving relief by Feb.7.

Ranaviraja blamed the grassroots bureaucracy of bungling in carrying out relief work effectively.

Nearly two thirds of the country's coastal line was devastated in the Dec. 26 Tsunami tidal wave attacks and more than 30,000 people were killed , and another 800,000 displaced in the disaster.

Sri Lanka has received unprecedented international assistance to rebuild the devastation.

Various presidential task forces are on the job and there has been mounting criticism of lack of co-ordination.

The government and the Tamil Tiger rebels are yet to agree on a joint mechanism to coordinate relief in the war devastated north and east provinces despite international pressure to do so.

(Xinhua News Agency February 3, 2005)