Colombo to get Rs.1 b flood prevention program

Land Reclamation Corporation and Defence Ministry to jointly fund on-going projects

By Uditha Jayasinghe

Hot on the heels of the Transport Ministry kicking off a master plan for road development in Colombo, the Cabinet has approved the implementation of special flood mitigation projects that will cost Rs.1 billion.

The Cabinet paper presented by President Mahinda Rajapaksa as Defence Minister details how the Defence and Urban Development Ministry will utilise Rs. 800 million from their Budget allocation for a series of projects.

These short term projects will deal with cleaning of existing canal system, dredging of flood retention areas, creating water retention lakes and controlling haphazard filling of low lying lands. Implementation of these measures will be carried out under the Metro Colombo Urban Development Project and Weras Ganga flood control project.

“Many of the projects begun near the Water’s Edge, Devi Balika Vidyalaya and Thalawathugoda will continue in 2012,” Acting Cabinet Spokesman Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardana told media.  He explained that the funding for the projects would be from two sources. The Sri Lanka Land Reclamation and Development Corporation were given Rs. 200 million in the 2012 Budget while the Defence Ministry was given Rs. 800 million for flood mitigation projects.

Therefore the Defence Ministry will add their Budget allocation to the Land Reclamation Corporation to meet the Rs.1 billion funding need. Essentially the Defence Ministry will allow the continuation of projects outlined by the Land Reclamation Corporation.

On Wednesday the Transport Ministry signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to draw out a master plan for traffic management and road network development in Sri Lanka. However changes from this are only likely to be implemented in early 2013 or later.