Browsing Built Environment & Spatial Sciences by Author

Now showing items 1-6 of 6

      Authors Name
      Samaradivakara, GVI [1]
      Sandamali, KUJ [1]
      Sapugoda, HSDPD [1]
      Semasinghe, SNSBRL [1]
      Senarathna, DR [1]
      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. [1]