Strategic Approach to Improve The Poor Housing settlements in The Batticaloa City

Abstract

The main aim of this study is to explore the housing related issues in the Batticaloa city and provide a strategic approach to improve the poor housing settlements. Primary and secondary data were used in this study. The primary data were collected through questionnaire and focus group interviews. Low income families living in huts (814) were selected from 10 GN Divisions (GNDs) out of 48 GNDs to carryout this study.The study revealed that there are 17,770 permanent houses which do not need further improvement and 2,770 semi permanent houses which need some further improvement. In addition to this, 6,518 own land temporary houses and 1,819 unauthorized temporary houses were identified in the city. The study also reveals that more than 75% of low income families have used tin sheet and cadjan for roofing. 90.17% of walls of houses were built by cadjan, wood and tin sheet. Approximately 45.58% of houses are made with cement floor while 54.06% of houses’ floor were seemed sand and cow dung. Moreover, 35% of low income families do not have well. More than 58.23% of low income families do not have toilet facility as their own and 81% of low income households do not have electricity connections in their houses. The study also reported that there are many barriers to the settlement improvement in these houses such as lack of homogeneous housing policy, poor involvement of community based organizations, lack of extended municipal services, lack of livelihood support services, etc. Further, strategies, to formulate a city shelter development centre at the municipality level, strengthening of rural development societies, secure tenure of housing, upgrading of infrastructure, livelihood support for poverty reduction and improving of service of BMC are recommended to improve the housing settlements in Batticaloa city. Findings of this study will help to develop urban housing settlements and plan poverty alleviation in the Batticaloa city.