ITI sets up first on-site office to assist Southern highway

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: The Electro Technology Centre (ETC) of the Industrial Technology Institute (successor to CISIR) as the technical consultative institution on the environmental effects of noise and vibration, has put up its site office in Baddegama.

Two mining engineers and other experts in related fields will ensure effective monitoring. ITI has been involved in the pre-identification and monitoring of hazards due to noise and vibration during the last year and both the ITI and the project staff felt that an on-site office would provide for much greater efficiency.

It is noteworthy to point out that this is the first time ever in Sri Lankan history that the environmental factors in a road construction project are being monitored.

In the Southern Expressway project there are five main groups working together on environmental impact studies. ITI and GSMB Technical Services as the technical institutions.

As a technical and advisory institution ITI pre-identifies the potential areas that could be affected and reports to the CEA, which is the institution with the legal power to take necessary remedial actions.

This consultative work also includes the recommendation on the strength of blasting to be used to minimize the negative effects related to noise and vibration. Before any rock mining activity commences, ITI together with CEA has to decide on the norms for the activity and identifies the possible parties that could be affected due to the activity.

For the affected parties there are three types of remedial actions that could be taken depending on the degree of effect. i.e. Evacuation, Temporary evacuation and Inconvenience payment followed by damage repairs if appropriate.

Based on the remedial action recommended by ITI, the CEA gives approval for its implementation with the concurrent agreement of the affected parties. During this period with remedial action being taken and construction and mining activities still continuing the ETC team at the site office collects necessary data, analyzes them and keeps on refining the norms further while monitoring the implementation of the norms continuously.

Hence the Southern Expressway project proceeds with lowest interruptions and minimal disturbances to the people who live around the project area.

ITI, as a national institution with qualified and experienced professionals is capable of giving technical solutions to all environmental related issues, including those involving large construction projects.

Their expertise is not limited to noise and vibration control but also extends to other areas such as water and air quality monitoring.

The ETC works as consultants to industrialists on the reduction of the noise and vibration levels in their work place. This work includes the measuring of the noise levels of various industries which is a prerequisite to obtain Environmental Protection License from the CEA.

In Sri Lanka the ETC of ITI leads in the fields of noise and vibration related work the Southern Expressway is the second major construction project started by the Sri Lanka Government after the accelerated Mahaweli project.

This expressway, runs from Kottawa to Matara and the construction, was started in 2003. Hundred and thirty two km long expressway construction has been broken down into three phases. Kottawa to Dodangoda, Dodangoda to Kurudugahahathamme and Kurudugahahathamme to Matara. The last phase, which is the longest (60 km) is now in progress.