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| Sunday, 1 January 2006 |
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CMC's special housing program by Ananda Kannangara The major fire that destroyed the wooden huts of nearly 150 shanty dwellers at Madampitiya garbage dumping grounds in Grandpass will be provided with new houses under a special program, initiated by the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC). The CMC has already allocated Rs. three million to provide necessary infrastructure facilities to at least 600 victims until they would be provided with houses that are being constructed. According to the program, the CMC has already commenced the construction work of 198 houses outside the main public playground at Madampitiya with the assistance of several private sector establishments as well as non governmental organisations. The Madampitiya public playground is presently occupied by several tsunami affected families. Speaking to the Sunday Observer, CMC, Deputy Mayor Azath Sally who visited the scene after few minutes the blaze occurred on December 20, said that few victims who were injured in the fire were evacuated to safer places and directed the CMC officials to provide them with necessary facilities including food and clothing. He said that the cause for the fire which gutted almost all unauthorised structures in the vicinity around 8.00 a.m. on this day could be due to an electrical short-circuit. The fire was brought under-control by around 10.30 the same day with the help of the Colombo Fire Brigade, assisted by the Sri Lanka Air Force and the Colombo Port Fire Units. Deputy Mayor Sally also said that the victims are being provided with shelter at Sanghabodi School, Thotalanga and St. Anthony's Tamil School in Grandpass . It is also reported that many shanty dwellers whose houses were completely destroyed in the fire may have allegedly tapped electricity through various illegal means. |
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