| More than 60 percent of buildings in Sri Lanka mainly in the private sector including supermarkets, banks and toilets are not designed by professionally qualified architects, said Professor Harsha Munasinghe, chartered architect and acting Dean and Head of Moratuwa University’s Department of Architecture.
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Dr Ajith C. S. Perera speaking
at the event |
He said so at a programme organized by IDIRIYA, a non-profit organization focusing on disability rights and supported by the World Health Organization (WHO) to highlight the importance of designing and constructing buildings in accordance of design specifications, standards and regulations now in force towards social inclusion.
Disability activist and accessibility advisor Dr Ajith C. S. Perera said designers and building owners disregard the specified standards set by the Supreme Court in 2009 October and further strengthened in last April, thereby posing safety hazards to everyone, especially to pregnant women, senior citizens, visually impaired persons and those recovering after surgery and illnesses.
Dr. Perera highlighted how a pregnant woman recently had a near fatal fall at the newest outlet of a leading supermarket chain in Colombo. “It was revealed that the root causes here are the failure of owners in their moral duties, social responsibilities and legal obligations to adhere to specifications and design for safety and accessibility – two inherent rights of all citizens,” he said.
“It is detrimental that laws in force are ineffective allowing the owners, designers and builders who are violators of standards and regulations are still allowed to go scot-free whilst the victims suffer, even with their precious lives” revealed Dr. Perera .
Visit | Supreme Court judgment on petition filed by Dr. Ajith Perera |
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