Housing for war, tsunami affected Trinco families

[TamilNet, Sunday, 25 December 2005, 17:20 GMT]
Twenty-six war affected Tamil families among several hundreds displaced from villages in the Kuchchaveli division, north of Trincomalee district and sheltered in a refugee camp, located in Alles Garden, sea coast of Trincomalee, moved to permanent houses built under the tsunami rehabilitation at Kumburupiddy east village Saturday. Some families have been living in temporary accommodation for more than twenty years, officials said.

Several hundred families were first displaced from their villages in Kuchchaveli division in the year 1985 following military offensive launched by the Sri Lanka Army. Majority of them fled to Tamilnadu in South India by boats. They returned to their villages with the arrival of Indian Peace Keeping Force. They were displaced second time following renewal of violence. Large number of these families was brought down and given shelter in a refugee camp run by the UNHCR in Allesgarden.

In the tsunami disaster last year most of the sheds in the refugee camp were washed away leaving hundreds of families to find shelter in tents and transitional huts elsewhere in the district put up under the tsunami rehabilitation programme. Under the programme 26 of these families as the first phase were selected for permanent houses and these families have started a new life in their own dwellings after about twenty years.

Under the tsunami-housing programme, Aitken Spence Company constructed 26 permanent houses for such families in Kumburupiddy east, north of the east port city.

Each house in 500 square feet was constructed at a cost Rs 650,000 on ten-perch block with two rooms, one hall, one verandah, one kitchen and attached bathroom and toilet facilities. Aitken Spence Company has been constructing a medical centre, health centre, common hall, a pre-school and playground at a cost of nine to ten million rupees, said

Mr.Rienzie Rambukwella, Director, Human Resources Development of Aitken Spence Company who attended the official handing over the housing scheme to the Trincomalee Government Agent Mr.K.G.Leelananda.

Mr.Rambukewella handed over 26 keys of the houses to Government Agent at the commencement of the event. Thereafter Mr.Leelananda handed over the keys with house ownership certificates to beneficiaries at an event to mark the first anniversary of tsunami tragedy held on Saturday.

Mr.Leelananda was the chief guest. Two Additional Government Agents Mr.A.Nadarajah (Tsunami) and Mr.W.A.S.P.Amaratunge were the distinguished guests. Mr.N.Selvanayagam, Kuchchaveli Divisional Secretary presided.