Browsing by Author "Randeniya, M"

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Defining critical infrastructure for Sri Lanka
(Ceylon Institute of Builders - Sri Lanka, 2022-06-24) Randeniya, M; Palliyaguru, R; Amaratunga, D; Sandanayake, YG; Waidyasekara, KGAS; Gunatilake, S
In the last few decades, infrastructure has played a major role in supporting modern society. Moreover, there has been an increase in natural and human-induced disasters worldwide. In these situations, securing infrastructure is a major requirement. Confusion and misinformation can result if the boundaries of what constitutes critical infrastructure for a country are not clearly defined. Identification of critical infrastructure is the first step in the process of securing and protecting the available critical assets. This study aims to establish the infrastructure that can be classified as "critical infrastructure" in Sri Lanka. This includes establishing a clear margin for subsectors that fall within and operate within critical infrastructure and, consequently, ascertaining a clear definition for the critical infrastructure of the nation. This study adopted a mixed-method approach, which included an initial comprehensive literature analysis on infrastructure and the parameters involved in determining the criticality of infrastructure. Secondly, a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews were conducted to determine which infrastructure sectors would be most critical to Sri Lanka. The most significant infrastructures with the parameters of national security, economic sustainability, quality of life, public health, and safety, the criticality of infrastructure were ranked in both pre- and post-disaster scenarios, and an appropriate margin for the Sri Lankan critical infrastructure was demonstrated. The emergency services sector was found to have the most significant infrastructure in both pre- and post-disaster situations. Accordingly, the study reveals emergency services, water, energy, transportation, telecommunication, and finance as the critical infrastructures for Sri Lanka.
item: Conference-Full-text
Legal and policy provisions for protecting energy and telecommunication infrastructure against hazards: comparison between Sri Lanka and other countries
(Ceylon Institute of Builders - Sri Lanka, 2023-07-21) Randeniya, M; Palliyaguru, R; Amaratunga, D
In the recent years, Sri Lanka’s focus on its infrastructure has grown due to its significance to the country’s economy, security, and quality of life. A resilient critical infrastructure system is crucial in reducing the impact of natural and human induced risks and weaknesses. In this context, comprehensive knowledge of a nation’s legal and policy framework would be of great assistance in building pathways towards strengthening the resilience of critical infrastructure systems. Concerning the need, this study aims to assess the ability of the existing legal and policy framework for complex, interdependent infrastructure systems in Sri Lanka to protect its energy and telecommunication infrastructure against natural and human-induced hazards. The objectives of the study include: (1) determining the existing legal and policy framework for energy, telecommunication infrastructure in Sri Lanka; and (2) comparing the legal and policy provisions for protecting these infrastructures against hazards in Sri Lanka with the international context. The study involved a comprehensive literature synthesis to understand the scope of critical infrastructure in the global context. Further, preliminary interviews were conducted to obtain the direction for the identification of the existing legal and policy framework related to the infrastructure sectors in Sri Lanka. Finally, the study examined the available provisions in the framework, alongside a desk study, to assess their effectiveness in safeguarding critical infrastructure. A comparison between Sri Lanka and the international context highlighted significant gaps in the legal and policy framework, particularly in terms of protecting the nation's infrastructure.