Gothamipura settlement project:

Win-win situation for stakeholders, public

Ramani Kangaraarachchi

The successful completion of the Gothamipura Colombo settlement project is a win-win situation for both stakeholders and the people. It could be considered as a model for others as well, Colombo Municipal Council Special Commissioner Omar Kamil said.

He was speaking at the ‘City Consultation’ Focus City Project at the Waters Edge, Battaramulla yesterday.

Kamil said that the Canadian $ one million project has improved the environment and upgraded living standards of people immensely despite many challenges.

He said that the people have got title deeds, financial assistance to improve the environment, ability to work in partnership agriculture training and waste management. The Colombo Municipality took the lead role in completing 75 percent of the work. It has improved 200 settlements during the last 10 months, Kamil said.

The project’s main objective is using water and sanitation as an entry point to develop a model of participatory service provision that addresses how best to deliver different types of urban services for under served settlements, he said. Another objective is to use the integrated model to improve on CMC initiatives and policies related to urban provision and poverty reduction in under served settlements, Kamil said.

Enhancing team capability in participatory research and communication through involvement in a learning network with other focus city teams and in the community is another objective, he said. Projects Engineer (Development) Director Thamara Mallawaarachchi said that major outputs of the project include strengthening women’s savings groups and self-employment activities, promotion of urban agriculture construction, operation and maintenance of the sewerage system, construction of a community centre, compost yard and recycling centre.