Abstract
Sri Lanka was affected by multiple hazards during April and May 2017 and it appears that floods and landslides of significant magnitude, triggered by the southwest monsoon are recurring annually. Climate hazards pose a significant threat to social and economic development in Sri Lanka. In addition to the climate hazards, there is also an increase in man-made hazards as a result of rapid urbanization in the country. The demand for land in cities in Sri Lanka has led to the use of marginal land, prone to natural hazards such as floodplains, unstable slopes, reclaimed land, unsuitable for any habitation. The municipal councils & the local authorities are unable to provide the basic infrastructure and services to these informal settlements and sometimes use vulnerable areas with low land value as disposal grounds for solid waste. It is very clearly mentioned in the National Disaster Management Plan 2014-2017 that solid waste has become a hazard and in the future, may take disastrous proportions. The recent collapse of the garbage dump in Sri Lanka can be attributed to poor environmental management with respect to solid waste in the country. This paper examines how efficient environmental management relates to the resilience of the physical environment by reducing disaster risk. The recent hazards in urban areas show that there are weaknesses in control of development in urban areas of the country. It is highlighted that regulation of urban expansion is an effective mechanism for disaster risk reduction (DRR) and land use planning (LUP) be an integral part of national development planning. The urgent need for a resettlement/ relocation policy in Sri Lanka, that address the needs of people who are displaced and to resettle disaster affected and vulnerable populations are discussed with reference to the literature available and make policy recommendations to address them.
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