The Colombo Core-Area (CCA) comprises the three contiguous Municipal Councils of Colombo, Dehiwala-Mt.Lavinia and Kotte, situated in the Western Province of Sri Lanka. The CCA had a total population of 1,168,860 people in 1998, out of which 60% lived in Colombo Municipal Council (CMC), with the remaining 40% residing in Dehiwala-Mt Lavina Municipal Council (DMMC) and Kotte Municipal Council (KMC). The CCA is important to the whole of Sri Lanka being the country’s economic, administration, and banking/finance capital; with other key economic activities including the main port , commerce, housing, transport and communications industry. The western boundary of the CCA has a key sea frontage for both Colombo and Dehiwala-Mt Lavinia, which is an important attribute for their expanding tourism industry.
Sustainable Colombo Core-Area Project
After formulation of a National Programme for Sustainable Human Settlements in Sri Lanka and mobilization of resources through the United Nations Development Programme(UNDP), the Government of Sri Lanka requested support from SCP-Asia to help implement its commitments under the Habitat Agenda. This support started through the Sustainable Colombo Core Area Project in 1999.
The project focused on strengthening Environmental Planning and Management (EPM) capacities in the three municipalities, by establishing EPM units within each municipality which initiated specific local EPM processes and demonstration projects, which introduced participatory methodologies for problem identification, stakeholder consultation, inter and intra agency cooperation and coordination. The project was supported by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development (MHUD) and anchored within the Western Provincial Council (WPC), which documented and shared the experiences with a large number of mayors and senior officials of other urban local authorities at a Provincial Replication Workshop, which resulted in a decision to scale up the EPM applications within the Province by adding six more urban local authorities in a second phase of support.
- Environmental Profile
- City Consultation
- Key Environmental Issues and Demonstration Projects
- Results and Lesson Learned
Key Contacts and Associates
National Technical Adviser
SCP-Urban Governance Support Project
Email: mfahmy@uda.lk
SEVANATHA - Urban Resource Centre
23/1, Narahenpita Road,
Nawala, Sri Lanka
Tel / Fax: 94-1-878893
E-mail: sevanata@sri.lanka.net
