The Galle Municipal Council has obtained construction material required for 25 road development works though a project funded by the European Union.

A European Union spokeswoman yesterday said the project has helped the Council in reducing the costs for road construction. The package is a first step in providing for the development of roads in Galle and will be further expanded throughout the Southern Province.

The Rs. 112,500,000 (EUR 750,000-)European Union funded construction waste management project, referred as COWAM project marked its successful completion on Friday under the patronage of Urban Development and Sacred Areas Development Minister Dinesh Gunawadena.

Ambassador of the delegation of the European Commission to Sri Lanka and Maldives, Bernard Savage said that the project has made a remarkable contribution to the city of Galle through a pioneering effort in utilising construction and demolition waste for the development of the city.

The project involving the lead partner Tu Tech Innovation GmbH from Germany, supported by ZEBAU GmbH, Municipal Council of Galle and the University of Moratuwa, set up a COWAM centre in Galle to recycle debris left behind by the tsunami and utilised the crushed material to construct concrete by-roads.

As a result of the recycling activity, metal crushing work has been reduced resulting in environmental conservation. Additionally the centre provides skills training and promotes public awareness on construction waste management targeting the community including school children and reducing illegal dumping of construction waste.

The project comes under the purview of the EU’s post tsunami assistance programme for Sri Lanka, the Asia Pro Eco IIB Post- tsunami programme, which aims to foster environmental restoration in areas affected by the Indian Ocean Tsunami; by transferring European know-how and best practices through partnerships and networking in the field of coastal environment management.

The Asia Pro Eco II - Post Tsunami Programme allocated over EUR 5 million to Sri Lanka funding seven projects in total on environmental reconstruction and rehabilitation.