Six thousand permanent houses for tsunami victims in Matara District

AROUND 6,000 houses that were fully destroyed or partly damaged by the tsunami, in the Matara District are being speedily reconstructed by the government with donor assistance from governmental and non-governmental organizations with type plans and technical guidance provided by the National Housing Development Authority (NHDA).

On a directive from the Minister of Housing and Construction Industry, Eastern Province Education and Irrigation Development Mrs. Ferial Ashraff and Deputy Minister Chandrasiri Gajadeera, NHDA Chairman, Parakrama Karunaratne along with his senior officials visited the Matara district and inspected the progress of implementation of government funded housing projects on August 23.

The officials inspected 'Siyathena' projects where two-storeyed houses which are specially designed to resist the impact of natural calamities such as tsunamis.

The Chairman and the officials having inspected the 'Siyathena' Project at Polhena expressed their satisfaction on the progress. This project is funded by the Cline St. Paul Health Institute of Austria.

The team also inspected the project at Thotamune, Matara where a reconstruction project is funded by the Padova City Council of Italy.

At Thotamune, almost all the houses were destroyed by the tsunami while the death tall was 160. Mr. Karunaratne met the beneficiary families and instructed them to complete the houses before the year end utilizing their family labour and skills.

He also assured them that the NHDA will provide all necessary guidance and technical advisory services.

It was observed that the affected families are actively participating in the construction process.

At Kammalwatte and Nupewela within Matara Municipal limits, two multi storeyed housing projects are being implemented for tsunami victims at a cost of Rs. 500 million. The construction is done by the State Engineering Corporation with planning and technical assistance provided by the NHDA.

The officials also visited the housing project for public servants being constructed in Matara with donor assistance from citizens of Larient City in France.

In the Matara district, as in other tsunami affected districts, the disbursement of financial assistance is affected on the recommendation of the Technical Officers of the NHDA who have already inspected about 4,500 houses under construction in Divisional Secretariat areas of Matara, Weligama, Dikwella and Devinuwara.

For around 4,000 families, the first instalment of the financial grant has been released and the second instalment for around 2,000 families too has been granted.

Karunaratne stressed the importance of Technical Officers carrying out regular checks of the houses under construction as this is a matter of which a large number of families are concerned with.

Deputy General Managers of the NHDA Messrs Nimal Chandrasiri, Eric Ediriwickrama, Wasantha Wijeratne and NHDA District Manager at Matara Mrs. Soma Dolamulla participated in this inspection tour.