News

Govt. halts Galle Harbour Port City project

Published

1 month ago

December 17, 2024

editor

The present Government will not implement the Galle Harbour Port City project which had been planned and proposed to be implemented by the previous Government, Deputy Minister of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources Rathna Gamage said.

The Deputy Minister disclosed the Government’s stand on the project when responding to the media, during his inspection tour of the Galle Fishery Harbour recently.

The proposed Galle Harbour Port City included an extent of 44.97 hectares of reclaimed land for tourism and recreational real estate, a cruise terminal, a 150-metre berth for super yachts and passenger cruise ships, and filling materials of 1.9 million metric tonnes dredged from the Bay of Galle seabed.

Many ecologists, oceanologists, environmental organisations and prominent stakeholders had raised several grave concerns and issues over the project. However, some ministers of the previous government and some officials had been determined to implement the project.

The Galle Harbour Development Project had not been planned with proper scientific strategies. They had selected large extents of environmentally sensitive area of the ocean for land reclamation under this project. After a study of the project, we understood that this project was an unwholesome venture.

We had experienced the disastrous impact of a project of this nature earlier. So, we shall not go ahead with this project, Deputy Minister Rathna Gamage stated.

Meanwhile, a team of stakeholders in Galle had met Deputy Minister of Vocational Education Nalin Hewage to express their concern over the proposed Galle Port City Project, at the NPP office in Galle.

At the meeting, Deputy Minister Hewage too had assured them that the NPP Government will not go ahead with the project.

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

News

Air Vice Marshal Vasu to lead SLAF

Published

3 hours ago

January 25, 2025

editor

Air Vice Marshal Vasu Bandu Edirisinghe is set to become the next Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF), succeeding Air Marshal Udeni Rajapaksa, who will retire on January 29.

Currently serving as the SLAF’s Director General of Planning, Edirisinghe brings extensive experience to the role. A native of Kandy and an alumnus of St. Sylvester’s College, he joined the SLAF as an Officer Cadet in 1991 and was commissioned as a Pilot Officer in 1993.

Initially trained on the SF 260 Warrior, he transitioned to rotary-wing aircraft due to a shortage of helicopter pilots. After completing training on Bell 206/212/412 helicopters, he was operationally cleared for flying duties and served in utility operations in the North and East of the country.

Edirisinghe will take over as the 20th Commander of the SLAF.Air Vice Marshal Vasu Bandu Edirisinghe is set to become the next Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF), succeeding Air Marshal Udeni Rajapaksa, who will retire on January 29.

Edirisinghe will take over as the 20th Commander of the SLAF.

News

Yoshitha Rajapaksa arrested

Published

4 hours ago

January 25, 2025

editor

Yoshitha Rajapaksa, the second son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, has been arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) today (25), according to the Police Media Spokesman.

He has been arrested by CID officers in the Beliatta area this morning (25).

BIZ

Adani denies cancellation of power purchase deal with SL

Published

15 hours ago

January 24, 2025

editor

India’s Adani Group has denied the cancellation of its $440 million power purchase deal with Sri Lanka, terming the reports as “false and misleading”.
The media statement notes that “the Sri Lankan Cabinet’s decision of 2 Jan 2025 to reevaluate the tariff approved in May 2024 is part of a standard review process, particularly with a new government, to ensure that the terms align with their current priorities and energy policies.”

“Adani remains committed to investing $1 billion in Sri Lanka’s green energy sector, driving renewable energy and economic growth,” it adds.

The media statement comes after the AFP reported that the new Sri Lankan government has revoked a power purchase agreement with Indian conglomerate Adani Group following allegations of corruption.

The deal had initially approved to purchase electricity at US$0.0826 per kilowatt hour from the proposed Adani wind power plant, which is to be built in the Northern region of Sri Lanka.

Several activists had challenged the agreement, arguing that smaller renewable projects were selling electricity at two-thirds the price of Adani, the AFP had further reported.
In addition, the project is also facing separate environmental concerns.

While President Dissanayake’s cabinet has revoked the 20-year deal power purchase deal signed in May 2024, it has not cancelled the project and has appointed a committee to review the project, the AFP reported, citing an official document and an energy ministry official.