256 transitional houses for tsunami victims

TWO hundred and fifty six transitional houses were handed over to tsunami-affected people in Modarawila, Panadura yesterday. The Japanese Government provided US$ 200,000 to IOM for the construction of transitional houses with water supply, sanitation and electricity power system.

The accommodations at the Modarawila site will accommodate 1,152 beneficiaries, bringing the total of transitional accommodations in the country to 1,556 with more than 7,002 beneficiaries, the Japanese Embassy said in a release.

This site will have families from around the district who will be involved in developing future plans to strengthen their new community. IOM has provided electricity for each household; while the site will also contain a community center and a preschool for the benefit of the community.

In addition, UNICEF provided water and sanitation services. Issues such as waste management and security will be addressed with the assistance of IOM and the Sri Lankan Government's Transitional Accommodation Project (TAP).

In response to the tsunami emergency, IOM provided tents and emergency shelters for over 13,000 people who lost their homes in the districts of Ampara, Batticaloa, Trincomalee and Colombo. With over 1,500 transitional accommodations complete, construction of additional accommodations continuously commence as land is identified and prepared. Land has been allocated for IOM to build 3,397 accommodations.

The opening ceremony of these new transitional houses took place yesterday in Modarawila, Kalutara district.

Tilak Ranaviraja, Commissioner General for Essential Services and head of TAFOR, Hiroshi Karube, Deputy Head of the Embassy of Japan and Mary Sheehan, Chief of IOM Mission in Sri Lanka attend the ceremony while Dr. Yuji Miyahara, First Secretary of the Japanese Embassy and TAP-Colombo officers, W.G. Mithrarathane, Project Director, and P. Gamage Karunasiri, Public Relations Consultant. IOM Chief of Emergency Operations, Christopher Gascon and Sunil Fernando, National Programme Officer/Field Office Coordinator were also present.