People living in tents face severe hardship, move back to homes in endangered areas

By Ranjith Rajapakse and Palitha Ariyawansa   

More than 25 Ditwah affected families living in tents in Wewandon estate in Kotmale have been burdened with further hardship due to the prevailing heavy rains.   
Several families have left the tents to live in their houses in the endangered areas regardless of the warnings of the disaster management authorities. They pointed out that they lived for more than eight months in tents undergoing severe hardship without any attention of the relevant authorities.   
They pointed out that they have not yet received compensation to build a house in a safer location. The people who have left the tents said they have no alternative but to return to their old houses endangered with rockfall and landslides at the risk of their lives.   
.More than 1150 persons in 354 families in the Badulla District have been in a similar predicament. Several of them are still living in tents in Welimada, Uva Paranagama and Haputale areas and others are in welfare centres.   
Addl. District Secretary Sajith Namal said transit houses were being constructed for them.