| dc.contributor.advisor | Survey professionals always dealing
with boundaries of lands and are generally
familiar with the use of the term “delimitation”
and/or “demarcation”. Boundary
delimitation (or simply delimitation) is the
drawing of boundaries, particularly of electoral
districts, provinces, administrative districts,
municipalities etc. In the context of elections,
delimitation can be called redistribution and is
used to prevent unbalance of population
across electoral districts. Demarcation is to
mark the boundary on ground, which usually
occurs after delimitation is completed and
more technical process.
The Delimitation Commissions are appointed
for the purposes of delimitation of boundaries
within the country for Administrative and
Electoral purposes which are very crucial,
when it is done in a country or region with
community of multi ethnic, multi religion,
multi-cultural with different political
ramifications, as the outcome of an any
election profound effects on the composition
of a Parliament, Provincial Councils and Local
Councils, etc .,
This study focusses on the “Delimitation
process in Hambantota District” in Sri Lanka
which is being finished by the Delimitation
Commission of Sri Lanka (DCSL) for identifying
grey areas of the boundaries of District
Electorate (DE) and Divisional Secretariats
(DS).
The delimitation of Hambantota district is
published in the Administrative District Act
which known as the act No 22 of 1955
published in 14th April 1955. The first schedule
of the act contains bounds of each district in
North, South, East & West directions which are
described in words. These boundaries were
obtained from the district boundaries marked
on one inch to a one-mile maps (one-inch
sheets) published by the Survey Department of
Sri Lanka. Aim of this study is to analyse and
identify the best possible approach for
delimitation of administrative boundaries of
Districts. How the delimited boundaries could
be portrayed using new technologies such as
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and
web-based imagery and mapping tools such as
Google maps, Google images Open street
maps etc., It is also aimed to identify the
difference standards and guidelines followed
by the delimitation commissions in
international arena.
As all district and DS boundaries were defined
in words extracted from one-inch sheets, all
one inch-sheets covering Hambantota district
were scanned and geo-referenced to form a
one single composite image. Then District
boundary was digitised on the composite
image and compared with the gazetted
boundaries. DS boundaries were marked on
composite one-inch sheet using gazetted
boundaries. Coordinates of all boundaries
extracted and converted to Keyhole Mark-up
Language (KML/KMZ) so the boundaries could
be directly portrayed on any web-based
mapping or imagery services such as Google
earth. Places of intersecting, overlapping and
gaps of different level administrative
boundaries, public institutes, historical places,
city limits, economically valuable natural
resources intersection of administrative
boundaries with rivers, streams, roads are
identified by observation. Places that can be
demarcated with the Google earth are marked
on the map. This visualisation will help build
198
capacities at the cross-roads among elections,
violence and conflict management in Sri Lanka. | |
