Colombo – IOM this week took delivery of over 75,000 corrugated galvanized iron (CGI) sheets donated by India to Sri Lanka to provide roofing for some 6,200 displaced families returning to their home areas in the north.

At the request of the Ministry of Economic Development, IOM will move the CGI sheets in 29 containers from the Port of Colombo to the Divisional Secretariats in Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, Jaffna, Mannar and Vavuniya for final distribution.

The 795-tonne consignment is the third Indian aid shipment handled by IOM over the last month. The first contained 48,000 CGI sheets for 4,000 families and the second 37,000 CGI sheets for over 3,000 families.

The Indian-donated sheets will be distributed by the local authorities. Families who have returned to find their houses destroyed during the conflict will each receive 12 sheets to assemble an immediate shelter.

Over the past year IOM has helped more than 225,000 displaced people to return to their home areas in the north from displacement camps and host families. Many are still desperately in need of decent housing.

IOM has already constructed 4,640 transitional shelters using timber frames and CGI sheets and is continuing to build more in a race against time as the monsoon season approaches.

"Despite the success of moving people back to their home areas, there are still significant needs to be addressed in those areas, particularly in terms of providing decent shelter for returnees. India's generous donation is fulfilling an important role in addressing those needs," says IOM Sri Lanka Chief of Mission Richard Danziger.

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For further information, please contact: Lorena Lando, IOM Sri Lanka, Tel: +94 (0) 115325300, E-mail: llando@iom.int