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Shelter a tsunami family, get Rs. 4,000 a month
By Frances Bulathsinghala
Galle's Government Agent G. Hewavitharana wants residents in the district to have tsunami victims as paying guests in their houses. He told The Sunday Times he was looking for those who were willing to offer their homes.

"We have been informed by a Swiss humanitarian agency that it will pay up to Rs. 4,000 as rent on behalf of the affected families to those who will be willing to accommodate them," Mr. Hewawitharana said.

He said the construction of permanent houses for some 13,500 families whose residences were destroyed by the tsunami was likely to be delayed because about 500 acres of state land available for this purpose were too far from the main town area.

He said the purchase of private land and the construction of flats were also being considered as options. Meanwhile, the provision of the tsunami relief money of Rs. 375 a week has started from the first week of February but in the Hambantota district as many as 2,000 victims have complained that they had still not recieved the money. Hambantota District Secretary M. A. Piyasena admitted there were shortcomings but claimed 49,000 victims had received the aid.

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