“We
should extend our wide support for peace effort
individually, but most of us are expecting others to bring
the peace for us. It is our responsibility to extend our
support to the government in its effort for peace. What
ever development projects implemented it will not be success
unless peace in this country.”
This was said by
the Minister of Housing & Construction, Mrs. Ferial Ashraff
addressing at the launching ceremony of the Guidelines for
Housing Development in Coastal Sri Lanka which held at the
Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall recently
(25th January).
Under the
guidance of the Ministry of Housing & Construction, National
Housing Development Authority (NHDA) with the support of the
German Technical Co-operation (GTZ) has published the
Guidelines for Housing Development in Coastal Sri Lanka.
The
prime objective of this guideline is to cater to the needs
of all categories of actors involved in the post Tsunami
re-housing endeavours within the coastal belt. This
guideline has cover the technical requirements relating to
several natural disasters that might affect the coastal
belt, such as tidal wave, earth tremors, floods and high
winds.
On this occasion,
Mrs. Ferial Ashraff further said “Due to Tsunami catastrophe
in 26th December 2004, the houses in the coastal
belt were damaged in different ways. Some houses were fully
damaged while others were partly damaged. At that time when
the Tsunami was devastated we had a limited knowledge and
the understanding about this happening.
The NHDA has
presented the 1st guideline to us in the couple
of months ago and that occasion we instr
ucted
the NHDA to present the document to the professional
community of the country and other stakeholders involved in
the housing sector for a review with the aim of arriving at
a widely accepted guidelines for the sector.
As a result today
we are able to publish this guideline with the support of
other institutions and individuals those who are engaged in
this efforts.”
Mr. Wolfgang
Erdmannsdoerfer, Deputy Head of Mission, German Embassy
addressing on this occasion said “The government of German
has extended its assistance to Sri Lanka for a long time.
After the Tsunami catastrophe in Sri Lanka, the Federal
Republic of Germany has provided the assistance through GTZ
for the reconstruction work of Tsunami devastated areas.
The peace in Sri Lanka is very essential for the success of
any of these programmes. We wish to see the peace in Sri
Lanka with the effort of Norwegian envoy, Mr. Erick Solheim.”
Secretary to the Ministry of Housing & Construction,
Mr.P.Weerahandi, Chairman NHDA Mr. Mohamed Rafeek, Senior
Advisor of GTZ, Mrs. Hilke Ebert, Consultant of Ministry of
Urban Development & Water Supply, Dr. Locana Gunaratne,
Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Housing &
Construction, Mr. S.R.Kanaganayagam, Director of THRU, Mr.
Gemunu Alawattegama and General Manager of NHDA, Mr.
Wasantha Wijeratne also spoke at this function.
Miss Vupula
Indivari Sudasinghe of Kegalle Girls School, Kegalle who
made the cover illustration of this guideline were received
the special award from Minister Mrs. Ferial Ashraff.
Before the launching of this guideline, Mrs. Ferial Ashraff
has inaugurated the Exhibition which were presented under
the title of Housing Development in Coastal Sri Lanka.
27th January 2006.
