Situation of Meeriyabadda, Aranayaka and
Bulathkohupitiya repeats at Deltota area of Kandy Districts.
By: P.P. Sivappragasam
While
the earth slip disaster of Meeriyabadda, Koslanda remains undenied and indelible
in the history of Sri Lanka, earth slips in Aranayaka and Bulathkohupitiya last
week have claimed many lives and property. Earth slips and cracks appearing on the
land have displaced over 250 families (around 1200 People) on Galaha - Dunally,
Ambalammana, Kithulmulla, Deltotam, Deltota - Pattiyagama and Loolecandura Estates
of the Deltota Divisional Secretariat in the Kandy District,
Aranayaka and Bulathkohupitiya in the Kegalle District, Sogama and New peacock Estates in the Pussellawa are and Lindulla, Uvakella, and May Field estates, Kotagala in the Nuwara Eliya District. The people thus displaced have been in temporary sheltered abodes, have lost their normal life and livelihood rights; Mr. P.P.Sivapragasam, Director of Human Development Organization which has engaged in relief activities, has in a statement on behalf of the HDO. Fact Findings team states that the future of the displaced has become questionable.
Aranayaka and Bulathkohupitiya in the Kegalle District, Sogama and New peacock Estates in the Pussellawa are and Lindulla, Uvakella, and May Field estates, Kotagala in the Nuwara Eliya District. The people thus displaced have been in temporary sheltered abodes, have lost their normal life and livelihood rights; Mr. P.P.Sivapragasam, Director of Human Development Organization which has engaged in relief activities, has in a statement on behalf of the HDO. Fact Findings team states that the future of the displaced has become questionable.
The
weather condition due to the prevailing heavy rains has affected over 500,000
people with thousand s of houses destroyed. The list of disappeared records
that over 150 have got buried in the earth and 73 of the dead bodies unearthed
have been identified. The calamity affecting the hill country plantations in
the recent past has increased. The hill country plantation sector people have
been the worst affected mainly due to the fact that their places of living have
been located in hilly areas which are prone to earth slips and floods.
While
the plantations in the Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Badulla and Kegalle Districts have
been badly affected by the natural disasters, it is only on Kalupahana estate
in the Bulathkohupitiya that 16 people are reported to have been dead in the
earth slip and at the same time hundreds of people of this estate have
displaced due to the Danger of earth slips. The lines in question of Kalupahana
estate appear to be uninhabitable making it necessary and urgent to provide
them safe land and housing facilities.
In
the Kandy district, earth slips and other disasters have taken place in various
areas. Displaced people of Dunally, Upper Galaha, Galaha Group, Kithulmulla, Deltota
Estate, Pattiyagama Estate and Loolecondra Estate coming under the Deltota
Divisional Secretariat, have been moved in to 5 temporary camps. Over 10 lines
of these estates have been exposed to earth slip or cracks, holes or cavities appear
on the floor. Floor areas of some lines are wet with water oozing from the
cracks. Kithulmulla Estate has been cut away from the rest by a earth slide of
about 100 feet appearing on the road. It is confirmed that it the cracks and
cavities appearing on the floor of the lines persists, it will lead to heavy
loss of lives and properties.
About
200 families removed from the lines have been moved to other areas thanks to
the Grama Niladharies who took immediate steps.
At
the same time various social problems are likely to arise due to the fact that
girls, boys, women, men and others have been thrust in to school premises and
transit camps without privacy. Food and medical facilities have been made
available to refugees with assistance from the public, the Divisional
Secretariat and HDO
Anyway,
the question nagging the people is what next now that a stage has come for them
to leave the premises where they have been sheltered temporarily. A question
where to go and of their future beg answer. All lines affected cannot be safe anymore
for them to live. They need a safe and livable house and they need land to
build such houses.
The
affected estates in the Kandy Districts are JEDB owned, and therefore, it is
incumbent upon the government to ensure the people’s land rights. The DS states
that possibility could be explored in discussion with JEDB to obtain land for
Housing for the affected people, while the estate management says it is the
JEDB and the government should take a decision concerning the land allocation.
In the circumstance, the following questions arise;
- Who
is the rightful authority to grant land Rights and land ownership to the
affected People?
- Is
there a policy planning to provide land to the disaster-affected people,
with specific reference to those of the plantation sector, in Sri Lanka?
- Can
houses be built no sooner than the land is provided?
- What
is the source of investment to build houses?
- Where
will they live until then?
- Where
and how can they found Temporary Shelter or relief tents?
- What
is the guaranty of their livelihood? And education and health of their
children?
These
are questions, rather confronting the people concerned. But no appropriate and
clear answers are elusive.
The
people opin “for generations estate management, trade unions and politicians
failed to guide us property. Those who speak about us.at election times, should
find a lasting solutions to our problem with a correct understanding of same.
We could find our food and clothing. A plot of land for housing is all what we
need for us to live fearlessly and peacefully”. They trust that the Government
of good governance in power will safeguard the plantation people of hill country
who make the economy and politics of the country stable.
Current Situation
As far as the Kandy
District ( HDO concerned Areas ) is concerned, most of the affected plantation people have been sent out of the temporary shelters/ welfare centers - established in
the schools. Presently, they have been accommodated in weighing sheds and
temples on a temporary basis. Some of
the temporary abodes are in a bad and unsafe condition.
The
relief activities (providing food, water and basic health facilities) are being
carried out through Private Institutions and Divisional Secretariats. Well over a week after the relocation now,
the relief activities should be replaced with rehabilitation activities. The
affected people too wish it was so. Needed now are;
- Relief tents.
- Bed spreads (Matrasses, beds)
- Bed Sheets/ Warm cloths.
- Temporary Shelters
- Rain Coats
- Lightening (lamps, torch lights, electricity)
- For children rehabilitation
b. Play
things ( Toys etc..)
c. Stationery
– bags
- Counseling for children/ women
- Developing plan on a long team basis
a. Safe
land
b. Housing
Project
c. Water
facility
d. Electricity
e. Home
wares - Furniture
f. Cooking
utensils and other goods
g. Road
Construction
Assistance
and co-operation
As far as the affected
plantations in the Kandy District are concerned, assistance is being rendered
by the Deltota Divisional secretariat, private individuals and organizations
like HDO. It should be noted that there is no International organization
interventions, though there is much of it in the Aranayaka and Bulathkopitiya
areas.
Human
Development Organization, although not identified as a relief institution,
under the existing situation, is compelled to look not only in to the rights
aspect of the displaced, but their welfare as well. For the last one week, HDO
in addition to its usual activities, carries out relief works in the Aranayake
and Bulathkohupitiya Areas.
As
per discussions with Government Officers, HDO provided goods which were not
available from other institutions. The goods included:
- Feeding Bottles 250
- Baby Milk 250
- Women’s Sanitary Pads 250
At
the same time, as no institution had come forward to render any assistance to
affected plantations in the Kandy area, HDO distributed the following items;
1. Food
Stuff (Rice, Sugar, Dhall, Milk Powder, Biscuits, Soya Meet, Salt)
2. Tooth
paste and Brushes
3. Soap
4. Women’s
Sanitary Pads
From our experience of the last one week, we observe
that the attention given to the situation of the Kandy District Plantation
people is lowest compared to that afforded to Aranayake and Bulathkohupitiya
areas. Hence a decision had to be taken
to give more attention to the Kandy District plantations, more because the
affected plantations fall within the HDO target area.
Ten of the HDO trained volunteers are at work in the
above welfare centers giving special attention to the welfare needs of children
and women and monitoring and assisting in the rights and welfare matters. At
the same time, maintaining contacts with the Divisional Secretariat and Medical
Officers of Health, they visit the welfare centers meet and console the
affected and discuss with them rehabilitation and long term development
programmes. They also lobby the media
about the needs and problems of the people.
The affected people are unable to return to their
houses since most of those affected have become quite unfit to live in. Hence a
situation seems to have arisen for them to remain in the temporary quarters
until such time as they will be given land and permanent housing facilities. It
is hard however, to say for how long this situation will continue. From the
past history and experiences it is hard to state that any development activity
had been implemented at a short time span.
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