J@ffna ACTION UPDATE Webzine

A monthly update of the GTZ Jaffna Rehabilitation Project     

April 1998   

The speedy repair of seventeen rural water supply schemes in the Jaffna peninsula will provide approximately 100,000 returnees who abandoned their homes in the rural areas with access to clean and safe water.  

Rural Water Supply Schemes to be Rehabilitated : 
  
 

Karaveddy	Kanpolai	Kanpolai Surface Drainage	Valvettithurai
Watharawattai	Chunnakam	Araly North	Araly South
Vaddukoddai	Ponnalai	Kayts	Pungudutivu
Nainativu	Analaitivu	Delft	Velanai
Navatkuli

  
 
 

  

The seventeen rural water supply schemes will enable residents to access water through 366 standposts scattered throughout the peninsula and some of the Islands. Though there are many such disrepaired water schemes, selection of villages for emergency supply of water has been done according to need, and concentration of returnees.  
   
The cost of repair for these schemes is approximately Rupees 60 million. The European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO) has granted funds to purchase materials , while water user working groups will organise and provide voluntary manpower for construction work. Thereafter these user groups will maintain operations, safety and security of these water schemes.  

The National Water Supply & Drainage Board, Government Agent - Jaffna, respective Divisional Secretaries & Pradeshiya Sabhas, Asst. Commissioner of Local Government, Water User groups and community based organisations; will provide logistical backup, while the overall project management and co-ordination for this project will be handled by the GTZ.   
  

  
 

Moolai   Co-operative Hospital  This hospital which served the Moolai and surrounding areas with the people’s medical needs was widely acclaimed for the services it rendered, but today stands in a dilapidated condition due to war damages suffered in 1990 and the subsequent neglect by people leaving the peninsula in 1995.  But as people trickle back to where they belong, the management of the hospital are eager to restore this place so that it could once again provide the medical needs of the people.   "The maternity needs of the area are top most priority as expectant mothers have to travel 16 miles to Jaffna if this service is not available to them at Moolai". As such the rehabilitation of the maternity wards and labour room are number one on the agenda.   The British High Commission has granted a sum of Rs. 1.256 million for the rehabilitation of this co-operative hospital. And this is being implemented through the GTZ on behalf of the British High Commission.  School Rehabilitation  St. Anthony’s Kayts was once known for its high educational standards and many sought admission to this school. But today it stands ramshackled as a result of war damages, with nearly 60% of the buildings including the science laboratories damaged.  "Once this school is rehabilitated to its former structure with the assistance of the GTZ and the SWD then the residents of Kayts would once again have a good educational institution. This would motivate people to come back to the island from the peninsula".  "My vision for this College is to see it once again producing   outstanding Jaffna citizens."    Mr. Ratnasingam - Principal  St. Anthony's School Kayts

Rehabilitation & Resettlement Authority of the North, RRAN  With the re-establishment of civil administration in the Northern Peninsula, it was considered an appropriate time to commence reconstruction and rehabilitation of the war damaged areas. This resulted in the birth of the Rehabilitation and Resettlement Authority of the North RRAN in January 1996, which would be responsible for all such work not only in Jaffna but also in the Wanni..  Having being incorporated by an Act of Parliament, the RRAN’s main task is to plan and acquire funding through the national budget as well as the donor community. It is also the link between numerous Jaffna Institutions such as the Kachcheri, District Secretariat, Line Ministries NEPC etc., and international donors.    The GTZ and UN agencies are the main international institutions working in the north according to RRAN officials. Others include Save the Children Fund, Care International, Medicins Sans Frontiers, International Committee for the Red Cross and others.   Assistance from the donor community is primarily in the form of technical support. Such support is channeled to the relevant areas of the North according to the requirements and each donor’s line of speciality.   In order to assist and encourage the donor’s work in the North, the RRAN provides all political & administrative support in relation to clearance from the Ministry of Defence for the travel of persons, transportation of goods , logistics and negotiating with Provincial and line institutions.  RRAN is in the process of finalizing a comprehensive plan for the rehabilitation of Jaffna which will be published aprox. at the end of April and will have new guidelines for interested donor organisations for planning of assistance programmes for Jaffna.

 
 

 

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