Build back better for a thriving life-rebuilding Sri Lanka

The events of late November 2025 stand as a watershed moment for our nation—an unprecedented natural disaster that, while shocking in its intensity, reminds us that we are part of a global ecosystem where even the most technologically advanced nations are not immune to nature’s unpredictability. While we acknowledge that previous responses to both man-made and natural calamities have fallen short, we must face a hard truth: the severity of this recent devastation was amplified not just by the hazard itself, but by our collective failure to strictly adhere to scientific settlement planning. The tragedy laid bare the consequences of bypassing local Governments and National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) assessments and the oversight failures that allowed permanent structures to rise in water reservations and disaster-prone zones. 

However, this is not the time to dwell on past negligence or assign blame for historical lapses. We now choose to set aside the mistakes of yesterday to focus entirely on a resilient tomorrow. We must commit to a new era of reconstruction defined by scientific rigour and safety, looking forward with optimism to Build Back Better for a thriving life—creating a beautiful, secure nation where the real people emerge as the ultimate winners.

Specific objectives

• Mandate Scientific Land-Use and Settlement Planning
• Restore and Protect Ecological Buffer Zones
• Enforce Accountability in Construction and Oversight
• Institutionalise Disaster-Resilient Construction Standards
• Implement a Phased “Shelter-to-Home” Recovery Strategy, 
• Enforce Risk-Adaptive Land Utilisation (Non-Habitation Zoning) 
• Design for “Thriving,” Not Just Surviving

THE “Zero-Recurrence” doctrine

The new process operates on a fundamental prohibition: “Reconstruction on scientifically identified “Red Zone” (affected or high-risk) lands is strictly prohibited”

The Government shall shift from a model of “horizontal sprawl” to “Vertical Urbanisation,” adopting global best practices (e.g., high-density resilient models used in China and Singapore) to maximise land safety and economic efficiency.

Sri Lanka confronts a severe limitation in cultivable land resources, a constraint exacerbated by decades of horizontal urban sprawl that has fragmented fertile agricultural zones. The shift to vertical living is therefore not merely a safety measure but an economic imperative. By consolidating human settlements into high-density vertical complexes, we halt the encroachment on arable land, effectively “releasing” these areas for intensive agricultural use. This approach maximises the productivity of every square inch of our island nation, ensuring that fertile soil is dedicated to feeding the population and driving the economy, rather than being consumed by inefficient, low-density housing.

Mandate scientific land-use and settlement planning

• The National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) or any other new organisation should be designated as the supreme authority on land suitability for habitation.
• A “Land Suitability Certificate” should be mandatory for any construction. Political authority or local Government approvals cannot override an NBRO rejection but NBRO may seek their input.
• All land in affected districts will be re-surveyed and classified into three rigid tiers, priorities can be given based on various requests:

1. Green Zone: Safe for high-density, multi-story residential construction.

2.Yellow Zone: Restricted use (Agriculture/Industry only).

3.Red Zone: Total prohibition on human activity (Ecological preservation) unless extra measure is taken for changing the category. It might not be the best to decide this based on an elevation. There are multiple factors to be considered.

Restore and protect ecological buffer zones

• All water reservations, riverbanks, and landslide-prone slopes are reclaimed as Government’s ecological reserves or enforce the existing laws.
• Immediate removal of all debris and remaining structures in these zones to restore natural water flow paths. These areas will be reforested to act as natural barriers against future disasters.

Enforce accountability in construction and oversight

• A transparent, digital oversight system will track approvals.
• Public officers (Grama Niladharis, Divisional Secretaries, Local Authority Tech Officers) found to have allowed construction in Red Zones or Water Reservations without objection will face legal liability for abetting public endangerment.

Institutionalise disaster-resilient construction standards

• The National Construction Code must be or developed or redeveloped with amendments to require disaster-resilient structural standards for all new buildings.
• No certificate of conformity (COC) should be issued without structural vetting by the local Governments, in consultations with NBRO, certifying disaster resilience.
• Implement a phased “Shelter-to-Home” recovery strategy (The vertical model)
• Temporary Transition: Immediate provision of modular temporary shelters in safe zones.
• Vertical Resettlement: Construction of high-rise housing complexes in economically strategic locations (Town Centers/Industrial Zones).
• Location Strategy: Resettlement will not be isolated. Complexes will be built within the vicinity of the beneficiaries’ original jobs, businesses, or agricultural lands to ensure livelihood continuity.
• Unit Allocation: Apartments will vary in size (e.g., 500 sqft, 800 sqft, 1200 sqft). Allocation is determined by the square footage of the house lost in the disaster or for bigger but then paying additional payments.

Enforce risk-adaptive land utilisation (Non-habitation zoning)

• Lands designated as “Unstable” or “Agricultural Only or any other category” are legally barred from permanent residential use.
• Owners retaining agricultural land in high-risk areas may construct one temporary structure for storage or rest during working hours. (i.e. the structure may not exceed 400 sq. ft. and may consist of only a single room and one bathroom for temporary stay.
• Complete Kitchens, multiple bedrooms, or permanent foundations are banned to prevent these structures from becoming permanent family residences.

Design for “Thriving,” not just surviving

• New multi-story complexes must include “Thriving Life” amenities: community centers, green parks, digital connectivity, and dedicated transport links to agricultural/industrial zones as appropriate. This will attract communities to move in

No cash compensation

To prevent misuse of funds and ensure high-quality reconstruction, the Government adopts an “Asset-for-Asset” investment model.

Prohibition on cash handouts

The Government shall not provide cash compensation to individuals for reconstruction of houses that affected by landslides. Past experience shows cash is often used for consumption or building substandard housing in the same dangerous location.

Concessionary Government housing scheme

Instead of cash, the Government invests in the construction of the Multi-story Complexes. Units are transferred to victims under a Concessionary Ownership Scheme:

• Base Entitlement: Victims receive a credit value equivalent to the assessed value of their destroyed legal structure.
• Concessionary Rate: The new apartment cost is subsidised. If the victim selects a unit matching their previous home’s size, the transfer is largely cost-free or requires nominal maintenance fees.
• Upgrading: If a victim wishes to upgrade to a larger unit or a luxury tier, they pay the difference based on their income level and creditworthiness.

The “Digital Citizen” lock

To ensure strict adherence to NBRO guidelines and prevent illegal encroachment, the following Civil Rights Restrictions are enacted:

Denial of public entitlements for illegal structures

Any structure built on NBRO-designated “Red Zones” or without specific technical approval is deemed a “Non-Recognized Entity.” Residents of such structures are ineligible for:

1.National Identity Card (NIC) Registration or any other recognised address for identification: No citizen may register an illegal structure as their permanent address.

2.Utility Connections: The CEB (Electricity) and NWSDB (Water) are prohibited by law from providing connections to these locations.

3.Samurdhi/Welfare Benefits: Government financial assistance is suspended for households occupying illegal, high-risk lands.

4.Voter Registration: Residency in a “Non-Habitation Zone” cannot be used for electoral registration.

The “Safe-Home” digital passport

A centralised, transparent technical system (The “Safe-Home Portal”) will be established.

• Every legal house is geocoded and issued a digital certificate.
• Banks, utility providers, and schools must verify this digital certificate before providing services to the household.

This approach marks the end of ad-hoc land settlement in Sri Lanka. By centralising reconstruction into safe, modern, multi-story complexes and strictly enforcing land-use science, we must ensure that the tragedy of November 2025 is never repeated. We build not just houses, but a disciplined, safe, and thriving nation under the theme of “Rebuilding Sri Lanka.”

 (The author is Former Deputy Director of Livelihood at the Taskforce for Rebuilding the Nation-TAFREN and the Reconstruction and Development Agency-RADA)