By Uditha Jayasinghe
Rupees 300 million has been allocated to building 10,000 transitional homes for the Internally Displaced People (IDPs) by the end of this month in Chettikulam.

Resettlement and Disaster Relief Minister Rishad Bathiudeen told The Bottom Line that advances of Rs.50 million had been paid to four government companies including the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), State Engineering Corporation (SEC) and North Provincial Council to build the first installment of transitional shelters. These are expected to be completed by the end of this month.

The remaining Rs.100 million is expected to be used for development of infrastructure facilities in the area. The Minister noted that IDPs currently residing in 11 camps within the Vauniya Divisional Secretariat and another two in Chettikulam itself will be relocated to the transitional shelters once the project is completed.

“At present all the funds are being allocated from the government but we hope for donor assistance either from international organisations or foreign governments in the future to sustain the rehabilitation process. Menik Farm has been established as a model camp and we hope to continue that in this new venture with all possible needs including schools being mapped out,” he said.

Bathiudeen also insisted that the process was completely transparent and was done with Cabinet approval. Emphasising the government’s plans to settle the IDPs within the year he maintained that resettlement could only begin in earnest once the transitional shelters are completed as the IDPs are still in tents provided by relief organizations.

The lack of a comprehensive de-mining programme was reiterated as a hurdle to the resettlement process but the Minister was confident that it would be dealt with in the near future. He stressed that the de-mining process had to be completed before land could be divided for resettlement rebuilding.