City to City program to assist Batticaloa

The city of Munich, Germany was one of the first cities to support Sri Lanka following the tsunami disaster. Since, June 2003, a European Union Funded Project, MILES (Managing Information for Local Environment, Sri Lanka) has been in operation in Sri Lanka under the supervision of the city of Munich (Department of Health and Environment).

The project is a joint venture headed by the city of Munich with participation of the City of Victoria-Gasteiz, Spain. Batticaloa is a pilot city in the framework of this co-operation where the application of IT based environment techniques are applied under third-world conditions in an exemplary way. The project is managed locally by the Sri Lankan Institute of Local Governance and is supported by UN-Habitat through the Sustainable Cities Program.

The direct contacts the two cities had and the confidence that the relief measures would be well directed, motivated the Mayor of Munich, His Worship Hep Monatzeder to initiate this City to City Program. The city of Munich is supporting the Reconstruction of Batticaloa by providing a sum of 750,000 Euros (approximately Rs. 95 Million).

The monies have been collected from the citizens of Munich and with donations from the Munich Savings Bank and the City Council.

Following this, the city of Victoria-Gasteiz in Spain, also a partner city in the MILES project have also contributed 70,000 Euros to Batticaloa.

A program of work has been planned involving rehabilitation and reconstruction work through active community participation. It will be implemented through UN-Habitat, which has been working in disaster reconstruction for more than two decades in several countries in Asia and has a long history of co-operation with Sri Lanka. The work in Batticaloa will be carried out in three stages. Firstly, providing basic equipment and meeting the necessities of Batticaloa Municipal Council. Secondly, immediate repairs to damaged culverts, drains playgrounds wells etc. and finally construction of houses and basic infrastructure.

Recently, representatives from the Munich Council and the media personnel from Munich visited Batticaloa, Kattankudy and Kalmunai to assess the damage and meet the affected people. Their reports on the damage incurred in Kalmunai and the lack of facilities at the Kalmunai Municipal Council to meet these challenges, received an immediate and positive response from the Mayor of Munich. A sum of 100,000 Euros was immediately granted for the purchase of heavy equipment for the Kalmunai Municipal Council.