Two Indian companies that have awarded contracts in 2020 to construct 06 oil tanks at the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation’s Kolonnawa oil installation premises, are yet to complete the project, reports say.
The two companies that have been awarded the contract are Indo East Pvt Ltd. and J.K. Mukherjee.
Although they were supposed to build 06 oil tanks, only one has been built so far.
However these two companies had given a subcontract to another company named Gopal, which had violated the original Tender contract, ‘Sri Lanka Mirror’ learns.
The problematic situation resulting in work being hampered had started after the Gopal company and the Mukherjee company had sought legal redress against each other, reports say.
It is said that this Mukherjee company, which has no expertise in building such tanks, was awarded the contract over the whims of a top official of the engineering department at the oil installation and a secretary of a former minister in 2020.
Also, it is reported that the Mukherjee company has been paid well over the estimated amount even ahead of the relevant quarter, despite the non completion of the construction. The quarterly payment made in this manner had even exceeded Rs. 500 million, reports add.
Adani Green Energy has decided to withdraw from its proposed wind energy project in Mannar, Sri Lanka. The company has conveyed this decision in a letter addressed to the chairman of Sri Lanka’s Board of Investment.
“It was learnt that another Cabinet appointed negotiations committee and Project Committee would be constituted to renegotiate the project proposal,” the company wrote in a letter, a copy of which was seen by Reuters, addressed to the chairman of Sri Lanka’s Board of Investment.
“This aspect was deliberated at the Board of our company and it was decided that while the company fully respects the sovereign rights of Sri Lanka and its choices, it would respectfully withdraw from the said project,” the letter added.
Adani Green Energy is a part of Indian billionaire Gautam Adani’s Adani Group.
The Attorney General has informed Mt. Lavinia Magistrate’s court that the recent recommendation made by him regarding the suspects involved in the murder of Sri Lankan journalist – Lasantha Wickrematunge will be suspended temporarily.
The AG has informed the Court of this in writing today (Feb. 13).
In a letter sent to the Director of the CID on Jan. 27, the Attorney General had previously provided his legal advice, regarding the release of three individuals.
Coinciding with the President’s three-day official visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to attend the World Governments Summit 2025, Sri Lanka and the UAE reached an agreement on Reciprocal Promotion and Protection of Investments to strengthen economic and investment relations between the two countries.
The agreement was signed by Mohamed Bin Hadi Al Hussaini, UAE’s Minister of State for Financial Affairs, and Vijitha Herath, Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs.
This bilateral agreement establishes a secure legal framework to expand investment opportunities in global markets while ensuring the protection of foreign investments.
The purpose of this agreement is to facilitate and strengthen foreign investments between the two nations by ensuring investor rights protection, promoting economic cooperation, and establishing comprehensive investment protection mechanisms, dispute resolution frameworks, and policy structures. This agreement will also contribute to strengthening global economic partnerships and creating opportunities for exploring new investment prospects in Sri Lanka.
This agreement underscores the importance of bilateral economic development and financial stability while demonstrating the commitment of both the United Arab Emirates and Sri Lanka to strengthening economic cooperation. It aims to foster trade and business expansion in Sri Lanka while promoting a transparent and stable investment environment.
Furthermore, this agreement also highlights Sri Lanka’s commitment to enhancing Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and fostering a more attractive investment landscape. By enhancing investor confidence, it is expected to generate new business opportunities and contribute to economic progress.
Ultimately, this agreement will reinforce the long-term partnership between the UAE and Sri Lanka, facilitating sustainable investments and advancing trade and financial collaborations between the two countries.