Coastal regions in Sri Lanka are highly urbanized and populated. The high population density gains a variety of economic benefits from the coastal resources, particularly fishing, tourism, and maritime activities. The rapid increase of economic activities results in improved infrastructure systems, construction of many industrial and urban centers, and causing an impact in the physical nature of the coastal zone. Thus, the rapid development causes degradation of natural resources in the coastal environment. Hence the Department of Coast Conservation & Coastal Resources Management is responsible for the sustainability of these resources.
Department of Coast Conservation and Coastal Resource Management is authority or regulator entrusted with coast protection works in Sri Lanka which. As a unitary authority, the department provides a full range of back office and front-line services involving extremely diverse and complex standards for information handling. With DoxPro Platform, department has developed a robust set of records and information management policies that will support department to meet its legislative requirements today, and into the future.
The department is currently embarking on the implementation of their approved Records Management program to ensure compliance with the following goals
- Improve the management of unstructured information across the organization
- Ensure Compliance with Public Records
- Ensure Compliance with Coast Conservation Act No. 57 of 1981 Strategy
The Challenge
The Department of Coast Conservation & Coastal Resources Management handles development registration and inspection procedures of granting permits to the applicant whom requesting for coastal resources for the development activities, through a manually operated centralized system. Hence the monitoring scenario leads to a tedious task by causing the following concerns.
- Time consuming for document handling.
- Lack of staff participation.
- Low efficiency and effectiveness among internal processes.
- Delay in decision making
- Maintaining of Large files
Solution
With DoxPro Platform, department has developed a robust set of records and information management system which will digitalize the complete permit issuing process that will support department to meet its legislative requirements today, and into the future The importance of electronic permit systems is that they identify hazardous working environments and enable a responsible individual also known as a permit manager to carry out safety checks at each stage. It effectively places procedures that may be of high risk, first.
Communication throughout the workplace requires a formal management system, the permit itself helps to distinguish roles and responsibilities with who is in charge and offers a step by step guide in working towards safety and security.
With the Introduction of new permit management system Coastal Conservation & Coastal Resource Management Department covering bellow functions.
- Issuance of permits
- Renewal of permits
- Transfer of permits
- Cancellation of permits
- Demolition of unauthorized work
- Handling of special requests
Results
Department is now was able to reduce the organizational risk through centralized governance and records management — all at a cost lower than the earlier process while providing better and faster citizen services ” says Director General. The department has benefited from an increase in overall productivity, as employees’ transition from legacy systems and experience freedom from the hassle of using multiple systems. All data sources within the department will soon be connected, creating a single system of unified permit management. The DoxPro-based, certified records management system serves as a successful, lower-cost replacement to the department’s legacy systems. The system also allows the employees a s well as citizens to experience improved search and access as with the use of new system Enhances reliability in permit issuing process and functions as a web based centralized Permit Management System which will be connecting the Coastal Conservation Department Head Office with the District Secretariat Office and the Area Branch offices.
