Govt.
needs US $ 1,500 million to resurrect this shattered land
The Government in an assessment report submitted to foreign governments
and donor agencies in the aftermath of the tsunami disaster says
that given resource constraints and the current balance of payments
pressures it is only with donor support on highly concessional terms
that this massive task of rehabilitation and reconstruction can
be undertaken effectively.
The
Government estimates that it will need US $ 1,500 million to carry
out its immediate rehabilitation and reconstruction plan in the
tsunami affected areas. It has identified thirteen areas which will
come under the plan including development of roads, railways, telecommunication,
water supply and sanitation, ports, electricity, housing and townships,
fisheries, industrial development, tourism, wild life resources,
HRD and social services and private enterprise development.
The
report prepared by the Department of National Planning of the Ministry
of Finance and Planning says the government has decided to declare
the damaged coastal belt as a development zone within which reconstruction
and rehabilitation will be implemented in a well co-ordinated manner
and wherever possible, this would be done through "active and
effective participation of the private sector."
To
emphasise the need for external support, the report states that
2004 ended with BOP deficit of US $ 212 million primarily on account
of the additional oil bill. It says the drought followed by floods
and finally the tsunami disaster also affected the economy.
The
official foreign reserves of the country depleted from US $ 2.3
billion to US $ 1.7 billion while the adverse impact of oil prices
is likely to continue in 2005, it said.
It
is therefore critical for the country to receive urgent assistance
to enable Sri Lanka to preserve its economic stability and continue
with proposed rehabilitation and reconstruction programmes without
dampening other development work, it added.
Roads
A total of 430 kilometres of road has been damaged and
26 bridges destroyed in the districts of Jaffna, Mullaitivu, Killinochchi,
Trincomalee, Batticaloa, Ampara, Hambantota, Matara, Galle and Kalutara.
The government estimates the rehabilitation of damaged roads and
bridges to cost US $ 120 million and the duration of the project
to be two years. The Report separately estimates another US $ 30
million needed to repair access roads in the affected areas.
Railways
Of the total operational rail track in the country of
1,200 kilometres and 176 km of rail track in the coastal areas,
163 km -- 158 km on the coastal line and five kilometres Batticaloa
and Trincomalee line -- were damaged. Thirty eight stations were
damaged, 11 of them severely, six bridges destroyed and four locomotives,
three power sets, two diesel engines and ten carriages were also
damaged. Under the rehabilitation and improvement of railway infrastructure,
the government proposes to construct a new line from Matara to Kataragama
adding 110 kilometres to the existing network. The cost of the railway
project is estimated at US $ 190 million.
Electricity
The government has estimated the repairs to the damaged
electricity lines including the setting up more electricity power
plants in the affected areas to cost US $ 80 million. 200,000 houses
have lost accessibility to electricity as a result of the tsunami
and 300 km of low voltage lines, 50 km of medium voltage lines and
6,500 km of service lines were destroyed in the tsunamis.
Water
supply and sanitation
All most all the wells in the nothern, southern and eastern
areas have been destroyed and the supply of pipe borne water in
all the affected districts have been heavily damaged. It is estimated
that US $ 150 million would be need to restore supplies to the affected
areas under several projects that have been identified.
Telecommunication
The telecommunication network in several areas of the
tsunami-hit districts has been severely damaged. Therefore fixed
lines are not currently available in most areas. The damages to
the network and towers have paralysed the day-to-day functions in
hospitals, police stations, government offices and other important
places, which are essential in undertaking relief work.
The
Sri Lanka telecom has estimated the total value of the damage to
be in the region of about Rs 88 million. US $ 30 million would be
needed to carry out repairs to the damaged telecom infrastructure.
Ports
The ports of Galle, Trincomalee, Kankesanthurai and Point
Pedro were damaged by the tsunami while the impact on Colombo was
minimal. Port development is estimated to cost US $ 50 million.
The repair work includes de-silting and clearance of wreckage from
the affected ports. The plan also includes the project to develop
the Oluvil port.
Education
About 240 schools along the coastal belt extending from
the north to the south were baldly affected in the disaster. Several
national colleges of education, teachers colleges, teacher's centres
and universities in the coastal areas have been affected as well.
It is estimated that US $ 75 million would be need to rebuild the
affected schools and other academic institutions while the rehabilitation
of affected vocational training centres would cost another US $
5 million.
Health
A total of 12 hospitals, large number of clinics and other
facilities such as drug stores and administrative offices were damaged
in the tsunami. The restoration of health services to affected areas
is estimated to cost US $ 53 million.
Social
services
It is estimated that 100 counselling centres would have
to be set up immediately as their services are needed by those traumatised
by the tsunamis. There is a need for counselling experts to train
those volunteering to be counsellors. This project is estimated
to cost US $ 2 million and its duration to be three months. At least
500,000 persons are expected to benefit from it.
Housing
and township development
In the 12 tsunami-affected districts there were 135 townships
ranging from small scale to large scale and of them 62 had been
severely or partially damaged. About 200,000 homes were destroyed
of which 130,000 belonged to fishermen. The plan to reconstruct
townships in the affected areas includes the construction of 12
large towns, 20 medium towns and 30 small towns. Each township will
include modern living apartments for urban residents, stadium and
sports complex, courts complex etc among other facilities. There
will be a special housing scheme for fishermen as well as temporary
shelter for those left homeless. The housing and township projects
are estimated to cost US $ 400 million.
Fisheries
industry
All fisheries infrastructure facilities and assets in
approximately 90 per cent of the total coastal fishing areas have
been destroyed by the tsunami and it has become absolutely essential
to rebuild the facilities to recommence fishing activities.
It
is estimated that among the dead were more than 25,500 persons from
the fishing communities, while 23,700 boats/crafts were destroyed,
13 harbours and 25 anchorages were also affected. It is estimated
that US $ 200 million would be needed to revive the fisheries industry.
Among the work to be undertaken is a project to re-establish the
National Aquatic Resourses Agency (NARA) and regional research centres
and training institutes of the national institute of nautical engineering.
At least 17 marine parks have also been affected by the tsunamis.
Industries
The Koggala and Bata-Atha industrial estates were damaged
by the tsunami. The Government is seeking US $ 35 million to repair
the damages as well as to set up several other industrial estates
to benefit the people including an estate in Eravur and Akmeemana.
Tourism
More than 60 hotels are closed and more than 2,000 persons have
lost their employment due to the damage caused by the tsunami.
To restore the tourism sector, it is urgently necessary to facilitate
the setting up of large hotels, small-scale guesthouses, restaurants
and infrastructure such as access roads, water supply and drainage,
communication facilities so that the tourist industry could commence
activities. An estimated US $ 20 million would be needed for the
project to resurrect the tourism zones in the southern and eastern
coastal areas.
Wildlife
The tsunami destroyed buildings, vegetation and natural
environment in many parks bordering the northeastern, southern and
northwestern coastal areas. A total of nine national parks were
affected. In the Yala national park, the estimated damage is more
than Rs 5 million. The cost of the restoration of the national and
marine parks was estimated at US $ 10 million. |
