Kilinochchi District

 

 

Affected Divisional Secretary Divisions 

 

(1)   Karachchi,

(2)   Kandawalai,

(3)   Poonakari,

(4)   Pachchilaipalli

 

Affected People

 

 

Damages to Different Sectors

 

Sector

Nature of the Damage

Estimated Cost

 (Rs. mn)

Housing

2,427 houses damaged

456.75

Fisheries

852 boats, 596 Out Board Motor boats and a large number of nets damaged

316.8

Education

01 school damaged

65.0

Health

 

7.0

Road

861 Km damaged

759.4

Electricity

02 villages affected

325.4

Water Supply

01 scheme damaged

410.2

Tourism

 

150

Agriculture

 

163.5

Administration (Public Institutions)

04 institutions damaged.

40.0

Community and Township Development

 

612.3

Total

3306.35

 

 

 

 

Actions Taken

 

Confronted Problems and Issues

 

Challenges Ahead

 

Way Forward

 

 

 

EXPERIENCE AND THE CHALLENGES AHEAD

KILINOCHCHI DISTRICT

 

 

Background

The Tsunami of 26 Dec. 2004 brought severe damaged destruction in Kilinochchi, one of the worst affected 03 district in the Northern Province.  Through the number of deaths is comparatively less in this district, the damage caused to the houses and infrastructure has been substantial.  This has placed additional burden and strain on the impoverished population of the district which had been suffering from the destruction and damage  caused by the protracted ethnic conflict for more than two decades.  In addition to the affected people of this district there was an influx of affected people from adjoining districts of Jaffna and Mullaitivu district.  26,310 people from other districts were staying in Welfare Centres and friends and relatives.  At present most of them were relocated in Maruthankerni area.  Action is being taken to relocate 250 families in Kallaru.  175 families were relocated in temporary transit camp in Kallaru and others will be relocated after temporary transit camp construction is over.  Initially, we were maintained 22 Welfare centres and all those Welfare Centres have been closed.

 

The Kilinochchi district Administration along with the LTTE and TRO formed an Emergency Task Force and attend to the needs of the Tsunami victims such as evacuation, arranging welfare centres, cooked meals, in a large scale deploying all resources in the district to their maximum.

 

This crash programme organized by the special task force has evacuated the victims with least possible delay, win the confidence of the people, the Government and International community at large.

 

The twenty years experience with the sufferings, frequent displacements and loss of life that accompanied by arms conflict is very much less to that of the suffering caused by Tsunami Tidal waves on the spur of the moment.  We can never fully restore what the Tsunami has taken but we can extend our helping hand to the survivors, do whatever is possible at least to reduce their suffering and rebuild the nation for the future, which involves relief for immediate needs and plans for reconstruction.  We can reconstruct and rehabilitate all that sea has taken, except life.  Most of the people affected by Tsunami are the poorest of the poor.

 

District profile – Kilinochchi

 

Location and area 

Kilinochchi district is situated in the Northern part of the Island.  It covers a land area of approximately 1237 sq.k.m.  The average density of population is 124 per sq.km.

 

Boundaries

Northern               -  Jaffna district

Eastern and Southern     -  Mullaitivu district

Western and southern     -  Mannar district.

 

 

 

 

Administrative setup

The district is divided in to 4 Administrative divisions, consisting of 95 G.S. divisions and comprising 324 villages

 

                                      No. of G.S. Divisions                No. of Villages

          Karaichchi                      42                                   90

          Kandawalai                    16                                   98

          Poonakari                       19                                   93

          Pachchilaipalli                         18                                   43

          Total                               95                                   324

 

Population

The total estimated population inclusive of those displaced and accommodated in this district amount to 141.834.

 

The table below presents the details.

 

D.S. Division                            No. of                    No. of

                                      Families                Members

 

  Karachchi                     18,746                   73,159

  Kandawalai                    8,253                   33,231

  PoonKari                        5,998                   25,352

  Pachchilaipalli                2,663                   10,092

                                      35,660                       141,834            

Economic activities

Agriculture is the major occupation of more than 80% of the population.  Fisheries are the second largest occupation.  There are 30 fishing villages dotted along a coast line of 91 k.m. covering the ocean in the Western coast and the sea in the Eastern Coast and the lagoon in the middle part separating the mainland from the peninsula region.

 

The extent of damage

The district has a coastal area of 91 k.m. in length consisting of three belts.  However traditionally our district fishermen are fishing in Chundikulam area of costal belt adjoining Jaffna and Mullaitivu  coast.

 

Ocean in the Western side                  -        30 k.m.

Sea in the Eastern side              -        08 k.m.

Area bordering the Jaffna lagoon       -        53 k.m.

                                                          91 k.m

 

Since the Tsunami tidal waves destruction was severe in the Eastern coast compared to that of the Western Coastal belt and lagoon area deaths and destruction have been comparatively less in the district as the district has only an 8 k.m. long coast line along the eastern side.  However prior to Tsunami disaster there were about 3580 families who had lost their houses and property due to the ethnic conflict which had caused severe hardships to the population of the coastal area.

 

 

The housing problems in the coastal areas of the district at present could be discerned from the date presented below:

 

 

Karachchi

Kandawalai

Poonakari

Pachchilaipalli

Total

1.   Houses damaged due to ethnic conflict (in the coastal belt)

 

Nil

 

673

 

2101

 

806

 

3580

2. Houses damaged due to Tsunami

*42

15

  49

182

 288

 

 

688

2150

988

3868

  * Resided in Poonagary division for fishing purposes.

 

It could be seen that efforts made by the fishing population of the district to restart their lives after the cessation of hostilities in 2002 were nullified by Tsunami disaster and the people have been rendered homeless and displaced once again.

 

The Tsunami has also aggravated the housing problem due to two factors.

1.     Influx of displaced fishing families into Kilinochchi after Tsunami.

2.     The need for relocation of people who had their dwellings within the 300 meters buffer zone.

 

The table below presents the details of relocation.

 

Karaichchi

Kandawalai

Poonakari

Pachchilaipalli

Total

Displaced families who have come into the district and want to be relocated in the district

 

 

 

 62

 

 

 

212

 

 

 

49

 

 

 

34

 

 

 

357

To be relocated due to 300  meter buffer zone

 

*42

 

338

 

942

 

148

 

1470

Total No. of families to be relocated

 

104

 

550

 

991

 

182

 

1827

 

 

Lands have been identified in 16 different villages spread throughout the district for relocation of 1827 families. The details are as follows:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pradeshiya Sabha Division

D.S. Division

No. of Villages Identified

No. to be Relocated

Karachchi 

1.  Karachchi

2.  Kandawalai

01

03

104

550

Sub Total