Meeriyabedda, Aranayaka, Salawa:

Divergent Destinies

by Isuri Yasasmin Kaviratne

Victims of the Meeriyabadda landslide

A mother and daughter driven to despair by the loss of their house in Salawa

Victims of the Salawa explosion

Displaced families in Aranayaka

Families in Meeriyabadda in a temporary shelter

Disasters may strike different regions with similar devastations but human recovery is uneven as some regions seem pampered, while others seem left behind and forgotten. Meeriyabedda, near Bandarawela was wiped out by a giant earthslip in 2014 but survivors are yet perched on the muddy hillside in temporary shelter amid the rainstorms. The survivors of last month's earthslip in Aranayaka may be a little better off but the people of Salawa seem to have got the best deal.

For Subramaniam Thalaimahal, the wait for a house has been a long and hard one. A victim of the Meeriyabadda landslide that occurred almost two years ago, she and her family still live in the Mahakanda tea factory with 75 families crammed in a single 8' by 8' partitioned room. The community of approximately 150 people who lost their houses to the landslide, have been facing a number of issues related to sanitary facilities.

"We lost everything, our loved ones, earnings throughout our lives, and now we are left with no choice but to be crammed in together with minimum basic facilities, and barely able to survive with the rations given to us", lamented Thalaimahal.

Stable footing

The families are still struggling to find a stable footing, economically and socially, with no livelihood opportunities. She said the coupon money allocated for their weekly food rations was not sufficient for their survival, which according to her was Rs. 700 for an individual per week, Rs. 900 for two, and Rs. 1,500 for three and above.

In addition to the 150 living in a camp, 32 families were advised to evacuate though their houses were not damaged.

"Many of them live in rented houses, and are considering a protest to make their voices heard. Many have returned to line houses, with no water or electricity, and live under abhorrent conditions."

S. Kannasamy, whose house is situated in a hazardous zone in Meeriyabedda said he is not allowed to return home, but he is not provided with alternate accommodation either. Currently residing in a rented house, he said economically, he was unable to make ends meet.

"As a resident of Koslanda Watta, I worked in the tea estate for 15 years. Now I have no job, and go to the town looking for work every day," he lamented.

A month after the disaster, people in Aranayaka are still waiting for good news about houses, temporary or permanent, or a monthly living allowance similar to that granted to those in Salawa. They are asking for at least a coupon as was issued to those in Meeriyabedda. In desperation the Aranayaka victims last week staged a protest demanding a living allowance, and temporary or permanent shelters. They questioned why they were not given the same allowance of Rs. 50,000 as was awarded to the victims of the Kosgama Army camp disaster.

Despite the assurance given by the Minister of Disaster Management Anura Yapa Abeywardena, that the people will be sent back to their houses in the mountain after proper evaluation on safety, Anju Ranasinghe from Aranayake said they were asked to return to their homes in the hazardous zones.

" There are about 10 houses at the top of the mountain, which is a very risky area," he said.

He said ,"It's scary at night, when it rains. Even now it's raining. All we do is look up at the mountain when it rains. Children are scared all the time."

Ranasinghe said the landslide had destroyed acres of tea, pepper and arecanut that he cultivated, and he is asked to return to his normal life without any back up plan for a livelihood. He said, people were not informed whether the remaining land is suitable for cultivation, and even if the authorities confirm to proceed with cultivations, a tea plant would take at least three years to mature for plucking. "What are we to do till then?" he asked.

Acquiring land

The Kegalle District Secretary W.M. Abeywickrama Wanasooriya said, acquiring acres of land big enough to accommodate the villages affected is a challenge faced by the Kegalle administrative institutions.

"Construction of over 700 temporary shelters is under way and there are other construction projects pending due to land issues," he said, and added that providing compensations for the dead has come to a standstill due to the difficulty in identifying the individuals responsible to claim the money. "We have received the money, but the distribution was postponed. In a family where nine or ten people have died, it is difficult to determine who should receive the money."

In Salawa, on the other hand, the military is engaged in building the partially broken houses in three separate villages, Seethawaka Divisional Secretary M.M.S.K. Bandara Mapa said. Additionally, cheques each Rs. 50,000 have been distributed to the affected families. "I have distributed 243 cheques, and 97 are still with me. I have also received 240 more requests for the cheque," Mapa said.

However, an affected businessman in Salawa S. Jayasuriya said compensations were not being paid yet for business losses, even though people are being compensated for their houses.

Additional Secretary, Ministry of Disaster Management Dr. C. Amalanathan told the Sunday Observer the shop owners in Salawa will be issues compensation cheques next week.

Compensation

He said the difference in compensation is due to a government policy and added that the victims of natural disasters qualify for compensation, under the government insurance scheme, which is distributed among the victims who have experienced deaths of family members and lost houses. The money allocated for housing can either be given to the families or the government can use the money to build shelters, which is currently under way, in Aranayaka. According to him, people in Salawa are provided with financial assistance, while people in Aranayaka are provided with the facilities they need daily.

"They are provided with cooked meals at the camps, clothes and medicine and all other necessities, therefore, no distribution of cash allowances in Aranayaka."

"On the other hand the affected families in Meeriyabedda are provided with Rs. 425,000 worth dry rations weekly, and these victims do not qualify for the current insurance compensation scheme which came into effect on April 1," he said.

The District Secretary in Kegalle is in the process of acquiring suitable lands for relocating the affected communities in Aranayake, Bulathkohupitiya and Dehiowita.

Sixty one houses have already been constructed in Meeriyabedda while construction of 14 houses is in progress. The Sri Lanka Army had given their assurance that the remaining 14 houses will be completed within 40 days, a week after which all the houses will be officially handed over to the affected families. Electricity and water will be provided , Amalanathan confirmed. He said if the beneficiaries wish to construct the houses themselves, the government is willing to provide financial assistance. The livelihood issues faced by farmers in Aranayaka and Meeriyabedda, who lost the lands they cultivated, is a matter that should be taken up by the Agriculture Ministry, he added.

The affected people in Salawa, though do not qualify for the compensation scheme for the victims of natural disasters, will be repaid for their losses, the Additional Secretary said. The initial assessment of the damages in Salawa was completed this week with analytical information on 239 houses included. However, he said that a second report is needed, with input from the technical team, on the evaluation of the damages per household for the compensation scheme to be drafted. Currently, they are paid Rs. 50,000 per family to arrange temporary accommodation, to rent a house and so forth. "The Treasury has allocated Rs. 100 million to rebuild houses and the money will be released without delay."

Despite the assurance given by the Minister of Disaster Management Anura Yapa Abeywardena, that the people will be sent back to their houses in the mountain after proper evaluation on safety, Anju Ranasinghe from Aranayake said they were asked to return to their homes in the hazardous zones.

" There are about 10 houses at the top of the mountain, which is a very risky area," he said.

He said ,"It's scary at night, when it rains. Even now it's raining. All we do is look up at the mountain when it rains. Children are scared all the time."

Ranasinghe said the landslide had destroyed acres of tea, pepper and arecanut that he cultivated, and he is asked to return to his normal life without any back up plan for a livelihood. He said, people were not informed whether the remaining land is suitable for cultivation, and even if the authorities confirm to proceed with cultivations, a tea plant would take at least three years to mature for plucking. "What are we to do till then?" he asked.

Acquiring land

The Kegalle District Secretary W.M. Abeywickrama Wanasooriya said, acquiring acres of land big enough to accommodate the villages affected is a challenge faced by the Kegalle administrative institutions.

"Construction of over 700 temporary shelters is under way and there are other construction projects pending due to land issues," he said, and added that providing compensations for the dead has come to a standstill due to the difficulty in identifying the individuals responsible to claim the money. "We have received the money, but the distribution was postponed. In a family where nine or ten people have died, it is difficult to determine who should receive the money."

In Salawa, on the other hand, the military is engaged in building the partially broken houses in three separate villages, Seethawaka Divisional Secretary M.M.S.K. Bandara Mapa said. Additionally, cheques each Rs. 50,000 have been distributed to the affected families. "I have distributed 243 cheques, and 97 are still with me. I have also received 240 more requests for the cheque," Mapa said.

However, an affected businessman in Salawa S. Jayasuriya said compensations were not being paid yet for business losses, even though people are being compensated for their houses.

Additional Secretary, Ministry of Disaster Management Dr. C. Amalanathan told the Sunday Observer the shop owners in Salawa will be issues compensation cheques next week.

Compensation

He said the difference in compensation is due to a government policy and added that the victims of natural disasters qualify for compensation, under the government insurance scheme, which is distributed among the victims who have experienced deaths of family members and lost houses. The money allocated for housing can either be given to the families or the government can use the money to build shelters, which is currently under way, in Aranayaka. According to him, people in Salawa are provided with financial assistance, while people in Aranayaka are provided with the facilities they need daily.

"They are provided with cooked meals at the camps, clothes and medicine and all other necessities, therefore, no distribution of cash allowances in Aranayaka."

"On the other hand the affected families in Meeriyabedda are provided with Rs. 425,000 worth dry rations weekly, and these victims do not qualify for the current insurance compensation scheme which came into effect on April 1," he said.

The District Secretary in Kegalle is in the process of acquiring suitable lands for relocating the affected communities in Aranayake, Bulathkohupitiya and Dehiowita.

Sixty one houses have already been constructed in Meeriyabedda while construction of 14 houses is in progress. The Sri Lanka Army had given their assurance that the remaining 14 houses will be completed within 40 days, a week after which all the houses will be officially handed over to the affected families. Electricity and water will be provided , Amalanathan confirmed. He said if the beneficiaries wish to construct the houses themselves, the government is willing to provide financial assistance. The livelihood issues faced by farmers in Aranayaka and Meeriyabedda, who lost the lands they cultivated, is a matter that should be taken up by the Agriculture Ministry, he added.

The affected people in Salawa, though do not qualify for the compensation scheme for the victims of natural disasters, will be repaid for their losses, the Additional Secretary said. The initial assessment of the damages in Salawa was completed this week with analytical information on 239 houses included. However, he said that a second report is needed, with input from the technical team, on the evaluation of the damages per household for the compensation scheme to be drafted. Currently, they are paid Rs. 50,000 per family to arrange temporary accommodation, to rent a house and so forth. "The Treasury has allocated Rs. 100 million to rebuild houses and the money will be released without delay."