News
Kanchana: Ex-Viyathmaga activist now with SJB blocking Adani project
By Saman Indrajith
Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera told Parliament yesterday that a Viyathmaga member, who was working with Opposition and SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa, was behind a campaign to block the implementation of the Adani Group’s wind power project.
Responding to a question raised by the Leader of the Opposition, Minister Wijesekera said former member of Viyathmaga, Prof. Rohan Pethiyagoda was one of the persons opposing the proposed wind power project.
“Prof. Pethiyagoda is an advisor to the Opposition Leader. He is a former member of Viyathmaga,” the Minister said, adding that Prof Pethiyagoda was one of the few who had raised an environmental issue pertaining to the wind power project.
“We have taken steps to remove six turbines belonging to wind power plants which are already in Mannar.
We will also keep a 2-km corridor for bird migration,” the Minister said.
Referring to the proposed unit price of power, the Minister said the matter was under negotiation at the moment.
“We have not made the final decision on the matter.”
View of the residents had been sought with regard to the proposed project, the minister said.
Dr. Pethiyagoda was not immediately available for comment.
Following the conclusion of bilateral discussions between President Anura Kumara Disanayake and Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, official-level talks between the delegations of Sri Lanka and India commenced this morning (05) at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo.
Representing the Government of Sri Lanka were Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath; Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Economic Development, Anil Jayantha; Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake; Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, Dr. P. Nandalal Weerasinghe, along with other senior officials.
The Indian delegation included Minister of External Affairs Dr. S. Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and His Excellency Santosh Jha, High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka, along with several other senior officials of the Government of India.
Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, who arrived in Sri Lanka on the invitation of President Anura Kumara Disanayake on Friday [04] night, visited the Presidential Secretariat this morning (05).
The Indian Prime Minister was warmly welcomed by President Anura Kumara Disanayake upon his arrival at the Presidential Secretariat.
Prime Minister Modi is currently on a state visit to Sri Lanka, reaffirming the theme “Friendship of Centuries — Commitment to a Prosperous Future” which symbolises the longstanding ties between Sri Lanka and India. The Indian Premier is scheduled to remain in the country until tomorrow (06).
[PMD]
The official welcoming ceremony for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was held this morning (05) at the Independence Square in Colombo.
On arrival at the Independence Square the Indian Prime Minister was warmly welcomed by President Anura Kumara Disanayake.
Discussions between Sri Lankan and Indian delegations at the presidential secretariat
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Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi arrives at the presidential secretariat
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