http://repo.lib.sab.ac.lk:8080/xmlui/handle/susl/4359 SLJGEM 2026-04-08T16:18:37Z http://repo.lib.sab.ac.lk:8080/xmlui/handle/susl/5273 HOW DOES PLACE ATTACHMENT MATTER GOVERNMENT SCHOOL TEACHERS’ DECISIONS ON THEIR PLACE OF RESIDENCE? A CASE STUDY OF RATHNAPURA EDUCATION DIVISION Ananda, Y. Karunarathne; Lawrence, DMNA Theory of ‘place attachment’ can be considered a cardinal aspect of human geography and its epistemological evolution. People have a long revolutionary history that has been developing emotional connections with their parents, relatives, neighbors, friends, and the surrounding environment. Regarding the Sri Lankan context, these attachments have further been interwoven with cultural traditions and native ethos. However, this intertwined nature of emotional and cultural attachment has not been examined detailed in particular, within the Sri Lankan context. Based upon this backdrop, the current study sheds some lights on investigating how emotional attachment influences government school teachers’ residential decisions, in the Ratnapura Education Division-1, Sri Lanka. Specifically, the study examines the roles of family ties, community connections, and cultural bonds in shaping residential preferences. Based upon a mixed methods approach, empirical data were collected from 80 teachers across eight schools through structured questionnaires and unstructured interviews. The findings revealed that emotional attachment significantly influences teachers’ residential choices, with 57.5% of participants demonstrating high or very high emotional ties, particularly toward family. More importantly, place related metaphors are the key sources for emotional needs, according to the findings. Overall, the future policy establishment on government school teachers’ residential decisions and housing strategies, should integrate with the key aspects of place attachment in advance. This will affect not only the well-being of teachers, but also towards the improvement of the efficacy of teaching and education productivity of Sri Lanka, and also, can be considered for the educational development in rest of Asian countries. 2026-01-27T00:00:00Z http://repo.lib.sab.ac.lk:8080/xmlui/handle/susl/5272 STUDY ON THE IMPACT OF TEA PLANTATION SECTOR ON SOCIO-ECONOMIC PROFILE OF THEIR LABORERS: WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO CRAIG ESTATE GRAMA NILADHARI DIVISION IN BANDARAWELA DIVISIONAL SECRETARIAT DIVISION Madushika, DMS; Senevirathna, EMTK The tea plantation sector is one of the major sources of foreign exchange in Sri Lanka and it significantly contributes to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The majority of workers in this sector are Tamil, and they face considerable socio-economic challenges. These issues are also prevalent in the Craig Estate Grama Niladhari Division, located in the Bandarawela Divisional Secretariat Division. The main objective of this study is to analyse how tea plantations affect the socio-economic background of workers in the estate. The specific objectives include proposing methods to improve their socio-economic status and exploring opportunities for expanding tea plantations. A total of 80 individuals were randomly selected for primary data collection through questionnaire surveys and interviews, while institutional data were used as secondary sources. To analyse the data, the study employed the chi-squared test, GIS analysis, and descriptive analysis. The findings revealed that workers experienced low levels of education, poor nutritional status, and various health problems. Additionally, children demonstrated low engagement in educational activities. Due to financial difficulties, many workers were compelled to seek additional employment outside plantation work, particularly as their families grow in size. Furthermore, the study identified strategies to enhance workers’ income, such as engaging in animal husbandry and vegetable cultivation alongside tea plantation activities. The government and relevant institutions must take necessary measures and provide essential support to improve their living conditions. 2026-01-27T00:00:00Z http://repo.lib.sab.ac.lk:8080/xmlui/handle/susl/5271 RAINWATER HARVESTING PRACTICES IN THE DRY ZONE OF SRI LANKA Nifla, MTF; Fareena, R Rainwater harvesting enables producers to achieve sustainable water management by reducing their reliance on external sources and enhancing resilience. Water scarcity remains a persistent challenge in Sri Lanka’s Dry Zone due to highly seasonal rainfall, prolonged dry periods, and increasing pressure on conventional surface and groundwater resources. Rainwater harvesting (RWH) has been practiced in the region for centuries through traditional systems, while modern techniques have been increasingly promoted in recent decades. However, comprehensive evaluations comparing the effectiveness of different RWH practices across multiple scales remain limited. This study examines the major rainwater harvesting practices used in Sri Lanka’s Dry Zone and evaluates their effectiveness in addressing domestic, agricultural, and institutional water needs. The study adopts a structured secondary data–based review and qualitative synthesis approach, drawing on peer-reviewed journal articles, government reports, institutional publications, and documented case studies published between 1995 and 2023. A thematic and comparative analytical framework was applied to assess four main categories of RWH practices: traditional tank cascade systems, rooftop rainwater harvesting, surface runoff harvesting, and institutional-scale systems. The findings indicate that traditional tank cascade systems continue to play a critical role in landscape-level water regulation and agricultural support. However, their effectiveness is increasingly constrained by sedimentation, land-use changes, and inadequate maintenance. Rooftop rainwater harvesting emerges as the most effective option for improving household-level water security, particularly during dry periods. Surface runoff harvesting primarily enhances agricultural resilience through supplementary irrigation, while institutional RWH systems provide reliable non-potable water for sanitation and operational needs but face limitations related to cost and scalability. The study concludes that no single RWH method can independently address water scarcity in Sri Lanka’s Dry Zone, highlighting the need for an integrated approach that combines traditional knowledge with modern rainwater harvesting practices to enhance long-term water security and climate resilience. 2026-01-27T00:00:00Z http://repo.lib.sab.ac.lk:8080/xmlui/handle/susl/5270 CARTOGRAPHY AS POWER: PORTUGUESE MAPPING OF SRI LANKA AND ITS INFLUENCE ON TERRITORIAL CLAIMS Kodikara, KPKS The Portuguese maritime empire established the enduring frameworks for territorial understanding and governance that extended far beyond the era of direct colonial control. This was accomplished through pioneering cartographic practices. This research investigates the critical role of maps produced by the Portuguese in the representation of Sri Lanka (Ceylon) during the 16th and 17th centuries. These representations served as instruments of power. They shaped subsequent claims to the territory and functions performed by those administrative boundaries. These analyses have no precedent in either Sri Lankan historiography or in the emerging field of diaspora studies. The research also examines the consequences of those representations. The research was done by underlining apparent contradictions between the claims made of maps by their compilers and the actual functions of the maps, especially when comparing the maps with the cartographic adaptations made by both the Dutch and British successors of the Portuguese, who appear to have used the maps produced by the Portuguese as precedents for making their mappings of the island. 2026-01-27T00:00:00Z