Sri Lanka to celebrate World Habitat Day today

Text and pic by Ashraff A. Samad

World Habitat Day will be marked today, 5 October, at 9:45 a.m. at the Maligawatta Pradeepa Hall. Minister of Housing Construction Sajith Pramadasa, Western Development and Megapolis Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka, Minister of Water Supply and Urban Policy Rauff Hakeem and Minister of Plantation Development P. Thikambaram will participate in this national event.

Premadasa said that Cabinet approval has been granted for investment of Rs. 250 m for plastering work of 25,000 houses island-wide during the month of October, in which World Habitat Day is celebrated.

The Minister stated that 1,000 houses from each district will be selected under this program and the project would not be limited to discussions, conferences and ceremonies but would benefit the downtrodden.

It has been planned to provide a maximum of 10 bags of cement for plastering work of a house and sand needed for this purpose for free through divisional secretariats and also to do plastering work with the contribution of housing beneficiaries. The Minister highlighted that there are a great number of houses that needed to be plastered around the island and this has affected the durability of the house, caused sanitary issues for dwellers including children and the elderly and obstructed getting access to electricity power and therefore, through this project, these issues will be addressed to a great extent.

The Minister added that this program was proposed as a result of attention paid to these issues and the National Housing Development Authority will implement the program under the directions of the Ministry of Housing and Construction. The eligible families will be selected during the next month and the project work will come to an end by December. 

He stated that the national ceremony and commencement of programs to mark World Habitat Day will take place at Maligawatta Housing Scheme Premises, Colombo 10, where late Ranasinghe Premadasa initiated the concept of settlements.

The United Nations has designated World Cities Day on 31 October in parallel to World Habitat Day and the period from 5 October to 31 October as Urban October. The Minister stated that a permanent open space was essential to live a secure life, however open spaces are limited due to the increase of population in urban areas and complexity of development process. As a result World Habitat Day this year has taken on the theme ‘Public Spaces for All’ as chosen by the United Nations, focusing special attention on this basic need. He further stated that during Habitat Week, which is designated in parallel to World Habitat Day every year and is designated from 5 October to 12 October this year, conferment of title deeds and lease agreements to housing beneficiaries in settlements in Colombo urban areas, appreciation of community leaders, organising arts, essay and drama competitions for children would be implemented.

Implementation of workshops, conferences, projects related to housing and settlements to mark Children’s Day on 6 October, receiving labour, knowledge and contribution of the youth on Youth Day on 7 October, housing programs in villages and estates marking Community Day on 8 October, conferment of title documents to destitute families due to civil war in north and east in celebration of Entitlement Day on 9 October, shramadana campaigns in Udagam, Adarsha Gammana, Udakala Gammana urban flats celebrating Shramadana Day on 10 October, conferment of ownership of houses constructed in various areas with Sevana Fund on 11 October are included in the agenda, stated the Minister.

Further, he stated that the closing ceremony of World Habitat Day 2015 will be held with the auspices Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe at the Colombo Municipal Council Grounds and district level programs such as renovation of housing projects, housing union activities, renovation of flats, commencement of Samata Sevana projects, conferment of 1,000 title deeds, and conferment of deeds to people in north and east were on the agenda of celebration of World Habitat Day 2015.