News

Last week six houses built for the tsunami affected were totally damaged by the strong winds which affected Kalutara.

‘Sanhindapura’ in Ethanamadala, Kalutara North is a housing project for the tsunami affected in the area. The construction was financed by Maria Janssen, a Belgian donor. Today 76 families live in the 38 houses of the project.

Ms. Janssen had given the responsibility of undertaking this housing project to the owner of a hotel in the vicinity. He, in turn, had appointed a close relative as the contractor for the project. This was the beginning of a chain of unfortunate events in the lives of the affected people, once battered by the tsunami and now by strong winds, with no help from the Government.

The unfortunate incident occurred on May 26 at around 8.30 p.m. Kalutara was experiencing strong monsoon winds. Suddenly asbestos sheets on the roofs of some houses were blown off by the wind damaging neighbouring houses and injuring people.

“When the wind started blowing the roofing went flying. Luckily, there were three men in my house who were able to hold on to the asbestos sheets and tie them down with bed sheets. But most of those in the other houses weren’t able to do this,” said T.H. Nandasena Fernando (53), a fisherman occupying one house.

Nandasena blamed the contractor for not supervising the construction when the work was in progress. He also said the inexperienced contractor became a millionaire after undertaking this project and now is missing when the police want him for questioning.

“Now we are totally helpless. The Government is not taking the responsibility to rebuild these houses as this was a project initiated by an NGO. We were so desperate after the tsunami hit our village and fed up living in tents. All we needed was a house to live,” Nandasena said.

Nanda Kumarasiri, another fisherman said he was unable to go fishing as his leg was damaged in last week’s incident.

“A similar incident occurred six months ago, but the Government refused to help us. This time it is also the same. We can’t get any help unless we get deeds to these houses,” he said.

Provincial Council officials have said deeds cannot be issued unless the land on which the house is built is 6 perches in extent, but these blocks of land are only 5 perches in extent, Kumarasiri said.

“The Belgian lady has allocated Rs. seven lakhs to build each house but it seems not even Rs. two lakhs has been spent on each house. Thanks to the Divisional Secretary and the chief priest of the Buddhist temple we have a place to sleep and a card to get dry rations,” he said.

Kamal Indrajith De Silva, also a fisherman, looks at his children’s books, soaked in rainwater with tear-filled eyes. His house was the most damaged.

“Electricity wires in front of our house came down and remained there for 4 days and the rain made us more fearful. All my children are small so I didn’t go for work as my wife can’t take care of all our children,” he said.

“Government officials blame us for going to live in these houses and request our deeds but the contractor is not coming forward. Our lives are at risk if the monsoon rains continue” he said.

Sanhindapura consists of houses constructed for the tsunami affected families as well as houses built for sale. Surprisingly the houses built for the victims were the ones which were damaged by the winds.

The tsunami affected people had come to live in these houses with no knowledge that the Government was not involved in the project and took no responsibility for the houses.