City Profile Batticaloa Municipal Council
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CITY PROFILE BATTICALOA MUNICIPAL COUNCIL Prepared By: Faulty of Architecture University of Moratuwa For: UNHABITAT City profile Batticaloa Municipal Council EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This city profile report provides a detailed look at the people, places and conditions within the administrative boundaries of Batticaloa Municipal Council. This provides useful information on physical features and characteristics of the area, historical evolution of the city, demographics, finances and economics, real estate and other factors which may impact the quality of life of the people. Batticaloa is a city which is surrounded by Indian Ocean and Lagoon. This city has great history and it’s a multi cultural city. Kallady Bridge and Dutch Fort of Batticaloa are enhancing the historical important of the area. Even though Tamils are the majority within Batticaloa Municipal Council Area Muslims and Burgers are living with harmony. Different types of legends say various reasons to the evolution of the name of Batticaloa. Batticaloa has night time population of nearly 80,000 and its serves to 3,000 commuters per day. Majority of the labour force within the area are employed in government sector while several people involve in fishing in Sea and Lagoon of the Batticaloa. Batticaloa Municipal Council Area having characteristics of dry zone. Tsunami, floods and cyclones are the major natural disasters which are affecting the area. Tsunami devastation has taken nearly the lives of 40,000 innocent people. Considering the infrastructure facilities within the Batticaloa Municipal Council area it is very obvious that ongoing development projects will improve the present conditions of them. This city has famous schools which are having good reputation in whole Eastern Province and these schools accommodate large number of out station students every year. Medical faculty of the Eastern University also located within the city. Location of these academic institutions is playing a major role in the economy of the city. Last three decades Batticaloa was severely affected due to war in the Sri Lanka. Due to the dawn of the peace in the country in 2009 people of the Batticaloa can be able to enjoy the peaceful atmosphere as other citizens of Sri Lanka. This peaceful environment persuades investors, donors and non- governmental organizations to work with the government to rebuilt Batticaloa as one of the major city in Sri Lanka. People of Batticaloa are expecting that this fruitful situation bring more development opportunities to the area and will attract more population towards Batticaloa Municipal Council Area. 2 | P a g e City profile Batticaloa Municipal Council ABBREVIATIONS ADB : Asian Development bank CTB : Ceylon Transportation Board DS : Divisional Secretariat LA : Local Authorities MC : Municipal Council NWSDB : National Water Supply and Drainage Board 3 | P a g e City profile Batticaloa Municipal Council CONTENTS Executive Summary Abbreviations Table of Content List of figures, tables and charts CHAPTER 01: INTRODUCTION 1.1. Key Physical features and Characteristics ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 16 1.2. Historical Evolution of the City ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 17 1.3. Social Structure and Demography ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 19 1.4. Economic Structure of the area ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 19 1.5. Administrative Aspect of the Area ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 19 1.6. Spatial form .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 20 CHAPTER 02: POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS Overview ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 22 2.1. Size, growth and density .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 22 2.2. Age composition .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 25 4 | P a g e City profile Batticaloa Municipal Council 2.3. Ethnic and religious composition ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 26 2.4. School attendence ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 27 2.5. Labor Force and Dependent population .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 27 2.6. Employment status and unemployment......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 28 CHAPTER 03: ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING Overview ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 30 3.1. Climatic condition .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 30 3.1.1. Temperature ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 31 3.1.2. Rainfall ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 33 3.1.3. Relative humidity and wind patterns ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 34 3.2. Water ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 36 3.2.1. Batticaloa lagoon ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 37 3.2.1.1 The problems and issues which lagoon has faced ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 38 3.2.2. Marshy land of Batticaloa ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 40 3.2.1.1. Problems and issues which marshy land has faced .........................................................................................................................................................................................