Citizens Call For More Participation,

Transparency In Megapolis Plan

Picture courtesy wrmpp.gov.lk

by Chandra Jayaratne

- on 12/11/2015
A group of citizens, headed by Jayantha Dhanapala, Prof Savitri
Goonesekara and Sunil Siriwardena have written to Prime Minister Ranil
Wickremesinghe requesting for more transparency and public participation
in the proposed Western region Megapolis Development Plan, including
public consultation on legislation. The group also called for multiple agency
coordination, the application of the National Involuntary Resettlement
Policy, community driven housing solutions, and the prioritisation of public
transport.
Below is the text of the letter, reproduced in full:
Letter from Concerned Citizens Regarding the Proposed Western Region

Megapolis Development Plan

Honourable Ranil Wickremesinghe
Prime Minister of Sri Lanka
Colombo.
Dear Prime Minister,
We welcome and laud the National Unity governments efforts to initiate an
integrated approach to the planned development of the Western Province
including Colombo. We appreciate the potential for national economic and
sustainable development that is inherent in well-planned urbanisation. We
also note that underlying the plan to develop the western region as a
megapolis is the objective, outlined in your recent economic policy
statement, of ensuring a high level of economic activity, powered by
global and local businesses that will have the opportunity to provide
employment and the facilities needed to build and sustain an advanced
level of living.
We appreciate the initiative to seek peoples views and concerns regarding
the proposed megapolis. Events such as the forum convened in Colombo on
30 November by the Minister for Megapolis and Western Region
Development are most welcome, being a clear and refreshing departure
from the practices of the past.
However, given the history of past attempts at such development,
especially the experience in Colombo of the last few years, as concerned
citizens we call on you to consider and commit to the following measures,
which we believe are in line with the National Unity Governments
commitment to good governance:
Deepen public participation and transparency: We learn from the media and

other sources that a draft of the plan for the western region megapolis is
due to be completed as early as this week and taken to Parliament in
January. While an expeditious approach is needed, there is significant
concern that in view of the importance of this development planning
exercise there must be, public consultation across the western region and
systematic engagement with various professional bodies on the proposed
draft plan for the megapolis. In this context, we request you to kindly
outline and clarify:
1. The process and structure for public consultation that will be followed
across the western region.
2. The schedule and sequencing of various activities including planning,
consultation, review, and the phases of implementation.
3. Measures taken to ensure complete transparency and public access to all
information regarding the planning in all three languages.
4. The sequencing and scheduling of major individual projects that make up
the megapolis planit is especially important that public have prior
knowledge of proposed projects.
5.
Ensure participation and strengthening of elected local government
authorities: Local authorities in the western region currently appear
marginalised from the process. This is not conducive to democracy and
good governance, or for expansion of their capacities. We urge you to
outline measures that will be taken to ensure their fullest participation and
shared ownership as well as build their capacities.

Ensure inter-agency balance, coordination and learning: It is crucial that the

agency responsible for the planning of the megapolis does not become
what the Urban Development Authority was under the previous regime: allpowerful and vertically rather than horizontally aligned with other agencies.
There needs to be more effective institutional balance and synergies
between various agencies mandated to deal with housing, transport, basic
services, environment, etc., that must be involved and we call on you to
outline specific measures for inter-agency coordination and involvement so
that expertise and experience is effectively transferred and deployed.

 Consult before legislating special powers: From statements made by

Minister Ranawaka as well as media sources it is clear that a new law is

being proposed to grant special powers to plan and implement the
megapolis project. We are concerned about the scale and extent of these
special powers and the impact they may have on people and communities.
We request you to ensure a draft is placed in the public domain for
discussion before being tabled in Parliament.

Commit to strengthening and applying the National Involuntary

Resettlement Policy: We welcome Minister Ranawakas assurance that no

one will be forcibly relocated and that due process will be followed for any
land acquisition in connection with the megapolis project. However we call
on you to commit that the National Involuntary Resettlement Policy,
introduced by your government in 2001, will be a) updated where needed
to reflect the best international safeguards standards and b) applied in all
cases where relocation or land acquisition is found to be absolutely
necessary.

Adopt community-driven location specific housing solutions: Sri Lanka has a

history of pioneering community-centred participatory housing projects for

the poor and the lower middle classes. We are concerned over reports that
high maintenance and energy intensive high-rise buildings are being
advocated as the primary approach to re-housing disadvantaged
communities, despite its many drawbacks. We call on you to commit to
adopting a community driven and participatory, location specific in-situ
housing rather than one-size fits all high-rise projects.
Prioritise public transport and avoid supplier-driven capital-intensive
solutions: We call on you to ensure that transport solutions are geared
towards prioritising public transport, lowering fuel consumption, enhancing
sustainability. We urge you to commit to a phased implementation of the
urban transport master plan for the Colombo metro region that was
developed with support from the Japan International Cooperation Agency
(JICA) and recently revised by the University of Moratuwa.

 Prioritise environmental protection: Ensure environmental assessments,

which are conducted independently and professionally are placed in the

public domain for review, underpin the overall plan for the megapolis as
well as every major project component.

Develop a comprehensive set of principles to guide the planning and

implementation process: We urge you to draft a comprehensive set of

principles and goals drawing on and reflecting all of the above to steer the
thinking of planners and other experts involved in the planning, design and
implementation of the megapolis. Such principles must take into account
the fact that the western region actually has a large concentration of
relatively poor and economically marginalized population that is actively
contributing to the regions formal and informal economy. It is vital that any
development plan centre on enhancing their full participation, well-being
and quality of life. It is also equally important that such development is in
line with equitable national resource allocations to meet development
needs in other parts of the country, especially regions with comparatively
low standards of essential infrastructure and services. The forthcoming
White Paper on the megapolis presents an opportunity to enunciate these
principles and goals.

We appreciate the urgency to launch specific measures and projects related

to the western region as demonstrable evidence of benefits. We also
appreciate your intention to base such initiatives upon a comprehensive
urban development plan. However, we ask that you would first outline a
comprehensive set of principles with goals, to guide some initial projects
that may be commenced expeditiously while allowing time for a more
comprehensive and participatory development and review of the plan as a
whole, in all its detail.
Honourable Prime Minister, in the light of governments repeated
assurances of strong commitment to democracy and good governance we
are hopeful that you will consider citizens participation, the concerns and

issues we have raised. The Western Region Megapolis Plan is a unique

opportunity to create a development scheme that is truly democratic in
both its creation and application, and genuinely a plan of the people. We
believe that addressing the issues we have raised will not only go a long
way in ensuring wider ownership of the process but also more positive
outcomes for the western region and the country as a whole.
We look forward to hearing from you at the earliest.
Sincerely,
Jayantha Dhanapala

Prof. Savitri Goonesekere

Susil

Siriwardena
For and on behalf of:
Prof. Amal S. Kumarage, Mr. Chandraguptha Thenuwara, Mr. Gamini
Viyangoda, Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, Prof. Kumar David, Dr. Jezima Ismail Mr.
Chandra Jayaratne, Prof. Ranjini Obeyesekere, Mr. Tissa Jayatilaka, Mr. Shibly
Aziz, Dr. T.L. Gunaruwan, Prof. Arjuna Aluwihare, Mr. Danesh Casie-Chetty,
Mr. Priyantha Gamage, Dr. Vinya Ariyaratne, Prof. Sivaguru Ganesan, Mr.
Ananda Galappatti, Ms. Visaka Dharmadasa, Dr. Selvy Thiruchandran, Rev.
Dr. Jayasiri Peiris, Mr. Faiz-ur-Rahman, Dr. Devanesan Nesiah, Ms. Anita
Nesiah, Mr. Ranjith Cabral, Prof. Camena Guneratne, Ms. Anushya
Coomaraswamy, Mr. D. Wijayanandana, Mr. S.C.C. Elankovan, Ms. Shyamala
Gomez, Dr. A.C. Visvalingam, Ms. Damaris Wickremesekera, Dr. Upatissa
Pethiyagoda,
CC: His Excellency Maithripala Sirisena, President of Sri Lanka
Honourable Champika Ranawaka, Minister for Megapolis and Western
Region Development
Honourable Lasantha Alagiyawanna, Deputy Minister for Megapolis and
Western Region
Development

Posted by Thavam