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| Sunday, 16 January 2005 |
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New towns spring up in South, East by Lionel Yodhasinghe Sixty small and big towns by the Southern and the Eastern coast would be relocated closer to the new Colombo-Matara expressway and the proposed Ampara-Trincomalee highway under the tsunami reconstruction plan. By-roads to connect these towns would also be constructed and twelve such roads have already been earmarked to connect new towns, Director-General of Urban Development Authority Prasanna Silva told the Sunday Observer. UDA had made recommendation on construction for these areas even before the tsunami but were not carried out due to various reasons. People and politicians have now realised the danger of disturbing the coast and want to follow the UDA guidelines to avoid another calamity, he said. Therefore, strict measures would be taken in implementing new development and reconstruction work in these areas, Silva said. One kilometre from the mean sea level has been declared as vulnerable area and this area has been divided into three strips to be developed for different purposes. The first 100 metres is reserved for a green belt, recreational area and it would stand as a buffer area to mitigate adverse effects to the coast, he said. The second strip of 200 metres would consist of trees, crops and construction of hotels and restaurants. The balance would be used to relocate activities removed from other areas. Settlement, construction specially towns and housing would be located preferably on high ground in this strip, he said. Silva said that new construction work would not prevent any economic activity such as fishing and tourism. A new mechanism has to be used in the operation of tourism, fisheries and other economic activities. Tourist operators can introduce new measures such as shuttle service to transport their guests to and from hotels and recreational areas. Silva added that all ministries together with the Urban Development Ministry are working in consensus to make this new scheme a success and each ministry and its related institutions have been given respective tasks. A new railway line is also on the boards along Colombo-Matara expressway. Towns by the Eastern coast too would be relocated close to the proposed highway between Ampara and Trincomalee. UDA would strive to shift all towns and human settlements into the interior which would be a precautionary measure against any tidal waves in the future. That would also help protect environment and prevent sea pollution, he said. |
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