Building a safer Sri Lanka

A model for a safer and better Sri Lanka

- By Jeevan Thiagarajah

Rebuilding requires an eye for future development as well as future risks

Sri Lanka is surrounded by the sea, has known seasonal flood spots, and has 103 plus rivers with further tributaries, canals, other water holding sites, dams and mountains as points of origin for major rivers.

There are many models to build a safer, better Sri Lanka. One was what was faced up to 2009 due to civil strife. Another was post-Tsunami. The world has developed universal conventions to build back better and to leave no one behind. Consulting the affected and or beneficiaries of policies and assistance is a fundamental principle which tends to be followed in the breech.

Suffice to say people have to live, deforestation will occur, development will touch the environment.

The challenges on the table

After the impact of the storm last week with the monsoon establishing itself, many challenges are on the table. Feverish activity to repair physical infrastructure is ongoing. People displaced face uncertainties. The number of totally damaged houses is high. Packages to finance residence in alternate locations, is insufficient to cover the periods involved. Relocation requires alternate land. Crop, livestock, poultry and damage to agricultural lands is another cluster. The fear real and imaginary of the ground shifting due to rain places stress on people and officials alike. Academics have commented on the impact on the ecology. The storm harmed the lives of animals, access to food and safety. Loss of livelihoods, impact on families, inability to return to jobs and migration are all live issues for the impacted and vulnerable to associated shocks.

Every disaster has a psychological component. Space has to be created to listen, assure, understand, and heal.