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Irrigation Ministry terminates contract with Chinese joint venture

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The Sunday Leader newspaper has reported that the Ministry of Irrigation has suspended a contract that was given to a Chinese joint venture, which was supported by the Asian Development Bank.

It further states that the multi-billion rupee project was suspended after the project showed less than three percent progress in the last 18 months.

The news report further states:

The Rs 10.7bn initiative to build the North Western Province’s two largest reservoirs called Mahakithula and Mahakirula is now set to be further delayed as the ADB has said it cannot release funds for at least three years in view of Sri Lanka’s debt default.

The project was awarded to a joint venture between China CAMC Engineering Co. Ltd. (CAMCE) and Qingdao Municipal Construction Group Co. The contract falls under the ADB’s Mahaweli Water Security Investment Programme’s North Western Province Canal Project (NWPCP). The start date was March 31, 2021, and it was due to be completed in two years.

As early as November last year, however, officials had drafted termination letters as work was only inching forward.  The companies bought time and eventually also cited the fuel shortages that started in March 2022.

A project report published on the ADB website this month states that physical progress was recorded as 2.4 percent by the end of June this year when it was expected to have been 45.4 percent.

“Work has been stopped by the contractor and physical progress has dropped,” it documents. “The main reasons for the slow progress of the contractor include delays in mobilising of contractor’s staff and equipment, delays in submitting the contractor’s deliverables, delays in carrying out site establishment activities and preparatory works, fuel shortage, and the broad incompetence of the contractor’s management team and senior engineering personnel.”

It was decided at a meeting between Treasury and Irrigation Ministry officials on Friday that termination notices will be served on the joint venture. It is likely that costs will be recovered from the bid bonds, authoritative sources said.

The objective of the NWPCP is to supply water from the Mahaweli River to areas experiencing scarcity through reservoirs and canals. Other phases of the project are continuing.

For instance, NEM Construction (Pvt) Ltd has made full physical progress in improving the Wemedilla left bank main canal up to Nabadagahawatta and in building a new sluice and tail canal, the ADB report indicates. The project cost is around Rs 926mn.

China State Engineering Corporation Ltd is implementing the Rs 7.2bn construction of the main canal from Nebadagahawatta to Mahakithula reservoir inlet tunnel.

“Key construction work and the progress achieved up to June 2022 includes canal construction, concreting and backfilling (73.80%), tunnel works (61%), canal structures (43.3%), and construction of transitions (28%),” the report states.

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1st stock of imported coconut milk to undergo clearance, lab testing today

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The first consignment of imported coconut milk under the Government’s raw material importation programme is scheduled to undergo clearance and laboratory testing today (31), as part of a coordinated initiative by the Plantation Industries Ministry.

This initiative, approved by the Cabinet, aims to supply essential raw materials to industries linked to the coconut sector, aiming to reduce domestic coconut prices and support local manufacturers. The consignment currently under clearance includes products equivalent to 200 million coconuts. They are in the forms of frozen coconut milk, coconut milk powder and chunked coconut with testa (non-copra), imported as part of the programme initiated in March 2025. The stock will be used primarily in the coconut milk powder industry, which has been facing raw material shortages. The Plantation Industries Ministry expects this move to reduce the pressure on local coconut supplies and contribute to a drop in retail coconut prices.

(dailynews.lk)

(Except for the headline, this story, originally published by dailynews.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)

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BoC employees to strike over unpaid incentives

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Employees of all Bank of Ceylon (BoC) branches have decided to walk out of service at 12.30 pm today (May 29).

The decision has been taken over the current management not taking the initiative to provide them with the 06-month incentive package approved by the Board of Directors, according to the Bank Employees’ Union.

Central Committee member of the Bank Employees’ Union – Najith Wijeratne, stated that they will initiate a token strike if this issue is not resolved by June 06.

BoC employees have also held lunchtime protests yesterday (May 28) in front of 22 branches in major cities islandwide.

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Imported salt released to market

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The National Salt Ltd. says that 2,800 MT of salt imported from India have been released to the market.

It says the food-grade salt stock, which arrived on May 23, is being distributed to the market through local salt sales agents for consumer sale.

The Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development states that Lanka Salt Ltd. is importing 10,000 MT of salt, while over 100 importers, including those from Pettah, are bringing in an additional 100,000 MT.

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