Planters’ Association marks World Habitat Day by completing 39,150 new houses for estate workers

The Planters’ Association of Ceylon (PA) commended the measures taken by Regional Plantation Companies (RPC) in completing 39,150 houses for estate workers on their plantations. 
In observance of World Habitat Day, earlier on this month, PA said that 10,000 more houses will be constructed in the next five years and handed over to registered estate workers, by the Plantations Human Development Trust (PHDT), a tripartite organisation of RPC’s, plantation trade unions and Government of Sri Lanka, the PA said in a media release. 

Currently there are 251,950 resident families on RPC estates with a total population of a little over one million; however, the total number of registered workers is only 135,000. Of the total resident families on RPC estates 16 per cent have got brand new houses while 57 per cent have had their homes re-roofed. 

Modular in design, each house is on a seven perch block of land with a built up area of 550 square feet, at a cost of Rs. 1 million each. Each house comes complete with two bedrooms, a sitting area, kitchen, toilet and pipe borne water. Surrounding the house is an area of three perches that could be used for home gardening. 

“Human resource is the backbone of the industry and the various housing projects re-iterate our commitment to improving the lifestyle and welfare of our worker population,” noted PA Chairman, Bhathiya Bulumulla who is also the Chief Executive Officer of Aitken Spence’s Elpitiya Plantations PLC. 

Mr. Bulumulla went on to note that the RPCs have continuously underscored the importance of enhancing lifestyles on estates and have done their utmost in providing housing for the 135,000 worker population, as well as the over one million residents, most of whom are employed elsewhere. 

“We have been steadfast in taking concrete steps over the past several years to improve the amenities in our estates,” he explained, while adding that re-roofing is done as an interim measure. “The demand for housing is immense and building new housing for all takes a considerable amount of time and resources. Until families receive new housing, re-roofing will be carried out to make existing infrastructure safe”. 
“With the tea industry being one of the largest contributors to the national economy, the challenge of maintaining a productive workforce is vital and we need all stakeholders to know the infrastructure developments made on the estates and to view the industry positively,” he said.

Above: One of the newly-built houses.