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Special talks on tsunami victims' resettlement |
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A
special discussion as regards resettlement of victims of the
tsunami disaster was held on January 13 chaired by President
Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga.
Urban Development and Water Supply Minister Dinesh
Gunawardena, Ministry Secretary, Urban Development Authority
Chairman and other officials of the Ministry were also
present, the Office of the President said yesterday.
The following were the decisions arrived at discussion:
* Construction of structures within a distance of 100 metres
from the coastline to be prohibited as applicable to the
whole island.
This limit will be extended to 200 metres only in respect of
Northern and Eastern Provinces. As such, structures
connected with harbours and fisheries harbours and those
coming under special gazetted development projects will be
allowed to be put up within this prohibited limit.
* Construction activity for residential and commercial purposes
within the belt 100 to 300 metres from the coastline will be allowed
taking into consideration availability of land and environmental
factors.
Action will be taken to pay reasonable compensation to all
families who have lost their residences as a result of the
tsunami tragedy, based on the extent of land they possessed
and the nature of the houses they lived in.
* All displaced low-income group families to be provided
each with a housing unit by the government, the floor space
of which will be at least 500 sq. feet.
* While house construction for relocation of families
displaced by tsunami will be started in the Hambantota and
Ampara districts on January 19 and 20, the construction of
houses will be started in all other districts before January
31.
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