New houses already constructed for nearly 80% of tsunami victims - Minister Chamal Rajapakse
 

by Uditha Kumarasinghe

The Government has already constructed new houses for nearly 80 per cent of the people whose homes were destroyed by last year's tsunami catastrophe, Agriculture Development Minister Chamal Rajapakse said.

At present nearly 20 per cent of the tsunami affected people are living in temporary houses. The Government is now constructing the houses needed for all these people and hopes to complete the constructions of these houses by the end of July next year, he said.

Minister Rajapakse made this observation at a ceremony held in connection to vest two housing schemes in the tsunami affected people constructed in Tissamaharama and Rideegama in Ambalantota area recently.

Two housing schemes have been constructed utilising the donations made by the Houston Buddhist Temple, America and World Vision. A sum of Rs. 12.5 million has been spent to construct 64 houses housing scheme in Tissamaharama while Rs. 12 million has been spent on the housing scheme which consists 22 houses constructed at Rideegama, Ambalantota.

The Minister said the Government intends to provide permanent houses to all tsunami affected families by the end of July next year. " We have completed one year of the tsunami catastrophe. At present the Government is turning all the houses and properties destroyed by the tsunami into their normal condition."

Minister Rajapakse said the Government cannot shirk its responsibility of only re-constructing the houses damaged by the tsunami. While constructing the houses, special attention has been focused to provide necessary infrastructure facilities to the people who will occupy these houses.

The Government has laid special emphasis to provide water, electricity, health and transport facilities required to these tsunami affected people and also to uplift the educational facilities of the children of these tsunami affected families. In addition, plans have also been formulated to create new income generating avenues for the people who lost their livelihood avenues due to tsunami disaster, he said.

Arrangements will be made to introduce one employment venture to each tsunami affected family while providing special facilities to sell their products.

"When every possible attempts are being made by the Government to rebuild the lives of those affected by the tsunami, certain sections who do not have any understanding about the situation are making various baseless allegations against the Government.

Those who shed crocodile tears today did not give even a plate of rice to the tsunami affected people.

Even though a short period has been spent on post tsunami reconstruction activities, the Government is systematically and accurately carrying out its work as planned," the Minister said.