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| Sunday, 29 May 2005 |
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| News Business Features Editorial
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NGOs take lead in housing construction by Anura Maitipe The construction of 1400 houses has already commenced with the help of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in tsunami affected areas in Galle district, Southern Province Governor Kingsly T. Wickremaratna told an opening ceremony in Peraliya recently. Over 440 houses have been completed with the help of NGOs and they had been handed over to the affected families in Hikkaduwa, Ambalangoda and Balapitiya. Another 400 houses are nearing completion in Akmeemana and Habaraduwa electorates.These houses will be distributed among the affected families in Galle and Habaraduwa Divisional Secretariats, he added. Under the town development program the UDA has taken initiatives to re-construct the Galle fish market, vegetable market and fruit market in an alternative site in Oruppuwatta. Buddhist monks and people in the area are highly critical over lethargic behaviour of the UDA for not allocating lands in time for resettlement projects. Many local philanthropists and NGOs awaiting for lands to commence their housing projects. They also added "when we asked authorities in the UDA about lands for alternative housing sites for affected families their silly reply is, we have identified lands but it would take some time to finalise. Only God knows how long they would take to release these lands, they quipped. According to authorities in addition to these 1400 houses another 2600 houses are needed to resettle affected families in Galle district. Meanwhile the business community and small scale entrepreneurs alleged that although they have applied for the pledged loans of Rs. 1 to 5 million through State banks that they have not been granted these loans so far. When inquired the banks said that they have not received clearance from the Central Bank yet to grant these loans. |
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