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Under pressure, Buffer Zone turns flexible
By Feizal Samath
The government, bowing to pressure from tsunami victims and donor agencies, is to be flexible in the buffer zone rule declaring certain areas as exempt from the controversial 100 to 200 metres off the beach.

Faced with the unavailability of land TAFFREN, charged with the rebuilding and reconstruction has ordered plans for new tsunami-resistant houses to be ready within a week.

TAFFREN chairman Mano Tittawela told a meeting on June 27 at the Jaffna GA’s office that Point Pedro and Maruthankerni would be exempted from the buffer zone rule and instead tsunami-resistant houses built on the beach for fishing families who refused to move.

The zone has been widely criticized by agencies like the World Bank which have asked for a more rational application. The LTTE had enforced a 300-metre limit off the beach but officials said Point Pedro fishermen had also rejected the LTTE’s ultimatum.

“The TAFFREN chairman also asked UDA, NHDA and NBRO (a research agency) to draw up plans for tsunami-resistant houses in a week’s time,” noted Y.K. de Silva, member of the Disaster Relief Monitoring Committee (DRMC) of the Human Rights Commission.

UDA Chairman Gemunu Silva said they were also preparing plans for a separate high-rise building in Point Pedro coast where residents could move in quickly in case of a tsunami-like disaster.

The Jaffna meeting is part of a roll-out plan where TAFFREN, UDA and Treasury officials including Mr. Tittawela and Finance Secretary P.B. Jayasundera are visiting tsunami-affected districts. The team visited Batticaloa and Jaffna with a trip to Hambantota scheduled for tomorrow. The TAFFREN. spokesperson was unable to confirm whether the TAFFREN chief or Treasury Secretary would visit LTTE-controlled Mullaitivu.

If so, it would be the first high-level contact between top officials of President Chandrika Kumaratunga’s government and LTTE representatives in the recent past.

TAFFREN is considering asking affected residents of densely-populated Kalmunai to remain in their areas and reclaim a 200-metres stretch of the sea under a sand nourishment programme with Netherland’s assistance.
Kalmunai’s affected population cannot move sideways as the town is sandwiched between other ethnic communities while moving backwards would mean filling valuable agricultural land.

Mr. Silva, who is a member of a high level committee chaired by the President on reviewing the buffer zone, said the Coast Conservation Department was preparing amendments to the 1981 Coast Conservation Act.

These amendments would be presented to the committee on July 8 and thereafter is expected to be presented to the Cabinet. TAFFREN will follow the recommendations of the high-level committee on building restrictions.

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