|
|
 |
 |
 |
| Tuesday, 22 July 2003 |
 |
|
 |
Features | |
| News Business Features Editorial Security Politics World Letters Sports Obituaries
|
Re-building life and the environment after the floods by Nadira Gunatilleke National Disaster Management Committee has started re-building life and the environment affected by recent floods and landslides. The rehabilitation program which consists of several projects started last month with the commencement of 15 rehabilitation projects in flood affected districts. Rapid damage assessment has already been done in all sectors and a proposal inviting international support for rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts was submitted on June 4th at Colombo and on June 11th in Geneva. Detailed damage assessment is being carried out for all sectors. The total cost of rehabilitation is Rs.2,780,670,700. According to the Plan of Action for 100 day program for housing, all the destroyed houses will be re-constructed by 15th of October 2003. identification of affected families and identification of relevant lands were done by the relevant District Secretaries while National Building Research Organisation makes the recommendation. Awareness creation program will be handled by the National Disaster Management Centre of the Social Welfare Ministry, University of Moratuwa and Sri Lanka Institute of Architecture. Finalising of plans, types and cost of houses will be handled by the Sri Lanka Institute of Architecture, Sri Lanka Institute of Town Planning and National Housing Development Authority (NHDA). Under the rehabilitation program launched in the Ratnapura district housing scheme for 53 families will be built in Elapata, Gangulvitiya. Seevali Primary school will be relocated and Tamil School will be rehabilitated. In the Kalutara district houses will be built for 26 families while another housing scheme will be built at Palinda Nuwara. A new building will be constructed for Ananda Sastralaya, Matugama. In the Matara district 196 houses are to be constructed. Mediripitiya Junior School to be also rehabilitated under the same program. In the Hambantota district, foundation stone was laid to build houses and reconstruction of Katuwana temple commenced at Weeraketiya. The projects were commenced on June 21. In the Galle district reconstruction of Neluwa Lankagama Primary School and Hiniduma Mallika Vidyalaya commenced while foundation stone was laid for a housing scheme consisting of 20 houses at Nagoda, Eptop estate. In the Nuwara Eliya district foundation stone was laid to build 12X2 storeyed houses on June 21. According to the National Disaster Management Committee findings, in the five flood affected districts 11,912 ha. (14.2 per cent of planted areas) of paddy was damaged. Damaged Yala crop cannot be replanted in most areas. Farmers have lost food and seed reserves from the last Maha crop. Estimated cost is US $ 400,000. In the tea sector 7,595 Ha. of small holder tea have been damaged, main livelihood of about 73000 families. Supply of seedlings and fertilizer required cost US $ 900,000. Twenty minor irrigation systems in Galle, Hambantota, Ratnapura and Kalutara districts have been damaged. In the Matara district nine main irrigation systems are damaged while another 69 minor irrigation tanks and 675 anicuts have also been damaged. These must be repaired prior to Maha season. Estimated cost is US $ 800,000. The total estimated cost for rehabilitation and re-construction of flood affected irrigation systems is US $ 1,546,340. According to the National Disaster Management Committee 138,973 families have been affected by the recent floods and landslides while 236 persons were killed. The number of fully damaged houses is 9294 while 30260 houses partly damaged. The total number of affected wells is 16056 in Kalutara, Galle, Matara, Ratnapura and Hambantota districts. 13010 wells have been already cleaned while another 3046 wells yet to be cleaned. The total number of damaged toilets is 17415 and those toilets will be re-constructed. 154 schools have also been damaged affecting 106,274 school children. The total estimated cost for repairing of buildings, equipment, furniture etc. is Rs.228 million. About 85,600 school uniforms and shoes needed. Mobile clinics were organised and no epidemics reported. Sporadic cases of dysentery, leptospirosis and dengue reported from some areas. Inspection and health education activities for food sanitation carried out. Mental health programs carried out by DPDHS, Sumithrayo, Sarvodaya and WHO. Counselling programs are conducted by Ministry of Social Welfare. Twenty perch land and assistance up to Rs.100,000 will be provided for 3381 families who lost lands and houses. Assistance up to Rs.100,000 will be provided for 9294 families who lost houses while assistance up to Rs.40,000 will be provided for 30,260 families who lost part of their houses. The United Nations agencies assistance cost around US $ 2 million while Rs.1500 million was received from the World Bank. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
Produced by Lake House |
