Batticaloa tsunami housing program
ready by March 2006

  
A systematic housing development program was launched in Batticaloa district for 1,000 tsunami displaced families.

This program has been implemented by the National Housing Development Authority (NHDA) with the financial assistance of Government of Sri lanka and German Technical Co-operation (GTZ) on behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Economic Corporation.
 
The NHDA provides technical assistance of this housing program and also carry out the construction work of these houses with the participation of the house-holders.
This housing development programme was implemented in Kalawanchikudy, Valachenai, Kalkuda and Vaharai divisional secretariat divisions.
 
Under this program the Government of Sri Lanka will provide Rs. 250,000 for each house and GTZ will provide building materials and the technical guidance, worth Rs. 200,000.
 
Every house constructed under this Tsunami Disaster Housing Program will be in extent of 500 sq.ft. The special feature of this program is the building materials for houses are prepared by the house-holders at the construction site.
The production of cement blocks and preparation of doors and windows frames for the houses are being carried out by selected youth from house-holder families.

The training for the carpenters and masons from among these youth are provided by the GTZ through training centres set up at the work sites. So far nearly 500 masons and carpenters have been trained in the training centres during the past 2 months,
 
 
 
  says GTZ.
 
The house-holder families have carried out their construction work while residing in their semi-permanent houses. The infrastructure facilities like water supply, electricity, latrine, roads etc. have already been provided to them.
The total cost of this project is approximately Rs. 100 million. Out of this, Rs. 60 million will be provided by the Government of Sri Lanka and GTZ will provide Rs. 40 million.
Most of these houses in this program have completed its preliminary construction work. It is expected to complete the construction work of these houses before March, 2006.
GTZ officials said the Batticaloa Tsunami Disaster Housing Program is one of the most successful tsunami programs in Sri Lanka.