15,468 temporary houses completed - TAP
The number of temporary housing units constructed to relocate tsunami
affected families now staying in welfare centres in the eight districts
has totalled 15,468 by April 15 according to the statistics gathered by
the head office of the Transitional Accommodation Project (TAP) at
Jawatte Road, Colombo.
Thus the project has achieved a progress of 75 percent of the
targeted 30,000 temporary housing units expected to be completed by the
end of May according to M. D. Mithraratne, Director of the Project.
Work on 7,856 more units are now in progress and is expected to be
completed within the next few days. He said that some of the problems
encountered in finding lands to construct these houses had been sorted
out in many districts and the work on the balance houses is proceeding
on target with the assistance of international agencies and
non-governmental organisations.
The TAP has been launched on a directive of the President and
implemented under the supervision and guidance of the Commissioner
General of Essential Services, Tilak Ranaviraja to give much better
temporary accommodation to the displaced families than at welfare
centres until they are provided with permanent houses on which work has
already been commenced by the Task Force for Reconstruction and
Rehabilitation.
According to the statistics gathered the number of temporary housing
units completed in the respective districts are as follows: Colombo 798,
Kalutara 628, Galle 1968, Matara 1076, Hambantota 1229, Ampara 5442,
Batticaloa 2892, Trincomalee 1436.
According to the specifications stipulated by the Government each
such temporary housing unit should have two rooms with a minimum floor
area of 200 square feet. The cost of each should not exceed Rs. 40,000.
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