News
‘Lucrative emergency power purchases planned again’
Electricity Consumers’ Association alleges combined bid to justify move
By Anuradha Hiripitiyage
Secretary of the Electricity Consumers’ Association, Sanjeewa Dhammika, yesterday (01) alleged that Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera and Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera were making a case for emergency power purchases.
Addressing the media in Colombo, Dhammika said that public declarations by the two ministers on the water level in the Samanalawewa reservoir on Monday was meant to pave the way for a lucrative power purchasing project.
Minister Wijesekera claimed that the water level had receded to such an extent that water couldn’t be released for agriculture purposes, as required, unless power cuts were imposed in the South. Minister Amaraweera warned that water should be made available to farmers, regardless of consequences as a drop in paddy yield could be devastating in view of the ban on Indian rice exports.
Alleging that the government had never evinced any interest in building smaller, low-cost power plants, Dhammika said that the interested parties were bent on buying costly power from the private sector. Dhammika alleged that since 2016, every Power Minister had resorted to emergency purchases at a tremendous cost to the consumers, and the current dispensation was no exception. Dhammika said that the warning issued by Minister Wijesekera that power cuts lasting up to four to five hours would have to be imposed in five districts, was meant to justify their despicable project.
In case the government went ahead with emergency power purchases, the electricity rates would go up again, he warned.
Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya yesterday sad that the Executive Presidency would be abolished, in line with the NPP’s election manifesto.
Speaking in Parliament, in response to a question raised under Standing Order 27/2 by Opposition and SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa, the Prime Minister said the abolition would take place through a proposed new Constitution.
She added that preliminary work on drafting the new Constitution had already begun, with previous committee reports and other proposals being studied to guide the process.
“A concept paper on the draft will be presented to the Cabinet,” Amarasuriya said, noting that a formal study has been initiated on abolishing the Executive Presidency.
She said that the move cannot be implemented without introducing a new Constitution.
Leader Sajith Premadasa told Parliament yesterday that the suspension of duties imposed on Dr. Rukshan Bellana, Deputy Director of the National Hospital, amounted to a violation of his fundamental rights.
Raising the issue during parliamentary proceedings, Premadasa, who is also the SJB Leader, questioned the decision to suspend the senior medical officer for issuing a statement to the media, particularly on matters relating to children’s medicines.
He said health was a fundamental right and noted that two children had reportedly died, stressing that the focus should be on accountability over the incident rather than penalising a medical professional for speaking out.
Premadasa criticised the authorities for suspending Dr. Bellana solely for communicating with the media, asking whether such action constituted justice for families who had lost their children.The Opposition Leader said silencing officials, who raise concerns, undermines fundamental rights and does not address the underlying issues related to patient safety and public health.
Acting Deputy Director of the Colombo National Hospital Dr. Rukshan Bellana has been suspended.
A letter, issued by the Ministry of Health, says preliminary investigations by the Ministry of Health has revealed that Dr. Bellana, as a government medical officer holding a responsible position, made statements to the media, without approval, in a manner that created a controversial situation in the country and unrest among the public.
The letter further stated that formal disciplinary action will be taken in due course regarding this matter.
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