Sri Lanka will enact a new, nationwide building code,,,,,,,,,, news item -Workable solution
Posted on May 26th, 2016
DR Sarath Obeysekera
News item captioned above drew my attention and reminded me of Holland which lies below mean-sea level where Houses are built on floating barges to facilitate floating
In Thailand they build on stilts and have a boat to reach the house
I suggest that all the houses to be built on the land by the side of Kelani Velly which went under water this year should be built on floating platforms .
These platforms are built in the box shapes made of concrete or Fibre Glass if they are small
The box of rectangular shape or caratmaran type box or ,cylinder structture may be built where water tank and sewage tanks can be accommodated. It Should have enough buoyancy to carry the weight of the house and the contents and mounted on few concrete stumps
River /Canal overflowing will be annual event ,hence such structure built with lighter material can be the ideal solution for replacing the houses which can be pre-fabricated and assembled on site
During a flood it should float and the people and the content can be safe until water subsides
NBRO should get together with Association of Contractors with Shipyards can work out such a design at a minimum cost
DR Sarath Obeysekera
May 26th, 2016 at 5:15 pm
Great idea Sarath … in PRINCIPLE.
But what about the PRACTICAL implementation problems, such as allocation of mooring site ownership on what is usually a public resource … the surface area of the body of water (river, lagoon etc) … in Sri Lanka?
Furthermore, we should also consider whether proliferation of boathouses would create more problems than they solve, such as water pollution (from sewage etc), unsightly waterway congestion, and the need to create permanent water, electricity and sewage, road and parking access connections that human habitation on water will create.
Are the BENEFITS much GREATER than the DEFICIENCIES & COSTS? I am NOT CONVINCED!
May 27th, 2016 at 5:40 am
Ananda
This is yet another bright idea of Sarath Oeysekara. Being a strong Yahapalanaya supporter, we never know the Yahapalanaya politicians might take this serious. and that will be the end of our rivers and canals. Rivers and canals will be polluted in no time and eventually converting them into open sewage.