NBRO technical advice now mandatory for all development projects in high-risk areas

By Indika Sri Aravinda

Colombo, Nov. 27 (Daily Mirror) - A special act has been issued requiring all government institutions to obtain technical advice from the National Building and Research Organization (NBRO) when undertaking public or private development projects.

The directive has been issued under Parliament Act No. 20-21 of 2025, which includes new laws and regulations, as per Laksiri Indrathilaka, Senior Geologist at the Landslide Investigation and Risk Management Division of NBRO.

Under this act, it is mandatory to secure approval from the relevant local government and other related authorities, as well as technical advice from NBRO, especially for projects in areas prone to disasters such as landslides and rockfalls.

“All government institutions should treat this order as law and act accordingly,” Indrathilaka emphasized.

The act aims to minimise disaster risks caused by human activities, including excavations, deforestation, trench cutting, construction in floodplains, and other development activities. NBRO warns that unregulated development in sensitive areas, particularly in the central mountainous regions, could have severe impacts.

According to the act, no construction project will be allowed in high-risk zones without a prior technical investigation. Relevant authorities required to comply include municipal councils, Pradeshiya Sabhas, Urban Development Authority, Central Environmental Authority, Mahaweli Authority, Road Development Authority, Department of Wildlife Conservation, Department of Forest Conservation, Geology and Mines Bureau, Department of Archaeology, and other state institutions.

The NBRO has identified 250 high-risk locations, where around 15,000 families currently reside. Evacuating residents from these areas has proven challenging, with preliminary investigations revealing unauthorized constructions and informal settlements. Despite warnings and instructions to relocate to safer locations, many residents have refused to move.

The act is expected to strengthen disaster risk management and ensure that future development projects in vulnerable areas are conducted safely and responsibly.