Resettlement of families identified in high risk landslide areas in safer places

As per the National Policy Framework, “Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour,” it is important that preventive measures are in place to safeguard the lives and properties while minimising economic losses due to disasters.

Due to rapid onset nature of occurrences, Landslide has been the most devastating natural disaster in Sri Lanka as far as frequency of occurrences, lives losses and damage to properties and economy are concerns. Accordingly, National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) has identified 12,126 families who are living in landslide high risk areas of Sri Lanka and recommended to resettle in safer areas in order to save their lives.

Summary of families living in high risk landslide prone areas - Total number of families up to 31.12.2020

Priority 01 - Houses completely and partially damaged by landslides

Priority 02 - Houses located in the upper zone where landslides are developing and where landslide symptoms are observed

Priority 03 - Houses located along landslide paths or in areas where debris may be deposited

Present Status of the Resettlement Program

The Department of National Planning (NPD) approved the proposal submitted by NBRO to resettle these families in safer areas. Subsequently, with the recommendation of the National Building Research Organisation (NBRO), the Ministry of Disaster Management initiated a programme to resettle above families in safer areas under a “Home Owner Driven” housing construction approach. However government faces difficulties in finding proper safe lands for relocation of people in landslide prone districts. Population increase and rapid urbanization in some districts lands has become a scare resource. With the increasing trend of landslide risk in Sri Lanka, requirement for lands for relocation is also increasing. Fulfilling the demand with limited resources has become a challenge.

However, it is noted that only about 4700 families have been resettled in safe places under the aforementioned programme. The slow progress of the this approach has been resulted from the issues such as (1) difficulty of identifying suitable required lands in safer area, (2) difficulty of continues engaging for house construction by beneficiaries due to their livelihood, (3) increasing of building material and labour prices in construction sector and (4) inadequate knowledge of the project administrators on project implementation.

It is now proposed to resettle about 10,000 (approximate) families through a contractor driven approach where new technology speedy housing construction approach is used to construct disaster resilient houses as per the NBRO approved plans. Considering the scarcity of suitable lands for resettlement in safer areas, it is proposed to implement the new programme with housing options such as single storey houses, two storey single houses and four storeys 8-unit houses based on the specific location and in consultation with and consensus of all stakeholders.

Overall Resettlement Status as at February 2021

*1980 houses which have been resettled in the year 2016 in Kegalle district, is not included in the list

Land Plots Currently Available for Immediate Resettlement