People who were displaced due to the risk of landslides at the Great Western Estate in Talawakelle following Cyclone Ditva last month have lodged a complaint with the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka, citing the injustices they are currently facing.
At present, the affected families are staying at Talawakelle Tamil College. However, with schools scheduled to reopen on the 5th of next month, the residents allege that they have been instructed to vacate the school immediately and return to shanty houses located in high-risk areas.
According to the displaced residents, the National Building Research Organization (NBRO) has declared their houses fit for habitation without conducting proper inspections, despite the areas still being highly vulnerable to landslides.
They further state that if permanent land is provided for resettlement, they are willing to construct temporary or small houses on their own in order to safeguard their lives.
