Web of Life

The Government said yesterday that it was committed towards commencing work on power plants in Norochcholai, Upper Kotmale and Kerawalapitiya, warning that if not built would mean power cuts in the next few years.

The Upper Kotmale project would be built with CWC suggestions included while the opposition concerns about the possible harmful effects to the environment of the Norochcholai project would be settled prior to the commencement of the project to satisfy the Opposition and environmental groups.

Power and Energy Minister Susil Premajayantha said in parliament that the nation was now paying for the indecision on Norochcholai made six years ago, and emphasized that the UPFA government was not going to shelve plans to construct the coal power plant.

When a UNP MP queried whether sea water used to cooling the power plant would cause any environment damage, the Minister said he was not an engineer and added that Opposition fears would be removed once expert opinions on the matter are presented to them.

"We are going to reduce the dependency on diesel. The focus is going to be on hydropower and coal power. If we don't start the power plants, we will surely be in the dark in the next six to ten years," he said.

He promised that every detail related to the project would be made available to the Opposition.

Moving an adjournment motion proposing to scrap the coal power plant in Norochcholai, SLMC MP Abdul Baiz Kamardeen said that the Government should reconsider the location. He claimed that if the Government takes precautionary measures to protect environment, they would not oppose it.

Transport Minister Felix Perera said that the Catholics would not oppose the move at all. Christian Affairs Minister Milroy Fernando alleged that the Opposition MPs were worried because the security zone that would result would affect the drug smuggling business in the area.

Deputy Power and Energy Minister Mahindananda Alutgamage said that certain UNP MPs were not against the project, and issued a challenge that he would resign if former Power and Energy Minister Karu Jayasuriya claims that he was against it.