Gaps in Policies and Practices of Disaster Management in Sri Lanka: A case study of the Shoreline Erosion in the South Western Coastal Sector

Abstract

Proper policies and effectiveness of their application are the basic requirements for achieving satisfactory results particularly from any government program. Disasters can cripple the existing level and the future potential of economic development. Therefore, identification the gaps between policies and practices of disaster management have become a crucial task of a government. Incumbent government of Sri Lanka pays its due attention on disaster management activities from recent past amidst controversial issues. This background urges to carry out research on the subject of disaster management in Sri Lanka. There are acts, institutions and organization to manage disasters. Coastal Conservation Act no 57 of 1981 and the Coast Conservation Department of Sri Lanka are leading such prominent act and institute in the Island. The chief aim of this Act is to conserve coastal zone of Sri Lanka paying particular attention to combat shoreline erosion hazard. But, still there are problems relating to shoreline erosion and usage of coastal zone. The broad objective of this research centered over existing policies, its practice in Southwestern coastal sector and gaps between these two. The problem of coastal erosion creates many environmental and socio- economic problem of coastal zone in Sri Lanka. Therefore, findings of this study would help to researches, policy makers, planers and general public mainly to mange shoreline erosion and sustainable development of the coastal zone.