Bureaucratic tsunami

Red Cross blames Govt. red-tape for the crumbling of a Canadian Red Cross-funded housing project for Colombo’s tsunami-affected

By Dhananjani Silva

How valuable would a plot of land be to someone whose home has been literally razed to the ground by the tsunami? While tsunami victims still languishing in temporary shelters claim that help has not come their way as far as resettlement is concerned, those in authority say that the delay is mainly due to the difficulties they face in finding land.

If so, how is it that one acre of land at Meegahawatte/Pranshawatte in Mattakkuliya which was supposed to be used for tsunami housing is lying idle?

Land where houses for the tsunami-affected people were to be built. Pic by J. Weerasekera

On January 6 this year, this land was acquired by the UDA on instructions from the Colombo Divisional Secretary and the District Secretary for the purpose of 'rehousing of the tsunami affected', The Sunday Times learns. After the acquisition, on March 10, the land was handed over to the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society to build a G+3 housing complex (ground floor + three storeys) with 160 units.

On July 22, the building plan submitted by the Red Cross was passed and the UDA approval was given.

But on September 11, the tsunami housing project which was to begin on this land came to a standstill with the Colombo District Secretary, deciding to halt the Canadian Red Cross Society funded project. This decision was taken without consulting the Red Cross, The Sunday Times further learns.

On entry to the site, a board put up by the Divisional Secretary announces that the land is being acquired by the government to "rehouse" the tsunami affected. At the top of the road which leads directly to the site is another board that reads, “Post-Tsunami Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies Community Housing Programme”. But the bitter truth is that these are the only signs that the rehousing project was in the offing.

Such is the plight that has befallen a venture which was initiated to help the tsunami affected.

In August, The Sunday Times featured the plight of the tsunami-affected people living in temporary huts at Mattakkuliya's Vystwyke Park. The Divisional Secretary, when contacted claimed that they were unable to relocate these tsunami affected families as there was "no land available" in Colombo or the vicinity.

So why did this Rs. 300-million project come to a sudden halt? A spokesperson from the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society said this project funded by the Canadian Red Cross Society focused on building a housing scheme of 160 units with water, electricity and other facilities such as lifts, a playground and a community centre. Each unit was to consist of two bedrooms, a living cum dining room, a kitchen and a toilet. The construction cost was estimated at Rs 1.5 million.

Although the initial plan by the government was to build G+3 houses, later a decision was taken to prepare designs for G+9 units to make optimum use of the land. This is why a redesigning process was carried out, says the official.

However, the Red Cross official says it was when they were in the final stages of completing the designing and planning process that they received news of the cancellation of the project by the District Secretary on September 11.

"So far we have spent Rs. 6 million but without informing us, the authorities have cancelled the project. Internationally, we are being blamed, for donors are pressurizing us. At one time the authorities say something and the next moment they change their mind. Because of this we are also in a terrible status to face the donors," the Red Cross official said.

He said the Rs. 6 million spent so far was on surveying, beneficiary auditing, temporary boundary walls, consultancy fees on construction design and soil testing. He said the soil testing had to be done on two occasions as the government proposal had changed from putting up G+3 to G+9.

The official said he believes that the government should reimburse the expenses incurred so far as the Red Cross was accountable to the donors.

He also said there should be a proper government mechanism to address the issues of the tsunami-affected.

"There are a large number of affected people waiting to be relocated, and there are grants as well. The Sri Lanka Red Cross with its partner societies is ready to build houses for the tsunami affected. Therefore, the government's role is to provide the donors with land. If not, the money would go out to other countries," he said.

According to the Red Cross official, no time frame was given to the Red Cross but its target was to complete the housing project in one and half years’ time.

"This is not the only project that we do. Similar projects are underway in other areas. But in Mattakkuliya, we could not proceed with the work properly as there were interferences from the District Secretary from time to time," the Red Cross official alleged.

Meanwhile for Colombo's hapless tsunami affected, like those living in Vystwyke Park, their hope of a proper home remains a distant dream as the weeks slip by.