News
Threat of power crisis looming large – engineer
By Rathindra Kuruwita
Senior officials in the CEB and Ministry of Power were trying to sabotage investigations into the countrywide power outage earlier this month, Senior Engineers Association Spokesman, Eng. Nandika Pathirage said.
Eng. Pathirage, himself a former President of the powerful CEB Engineers’ Union claimed those officials had even been attempting to discourage investigators from proceeding with the probe.
He said that Sri Lanka was on the verge of a power crisis. “We don’t build power plants. In a few months, we will have to purchase emergency power,” Pathirage said.
During the past few months, hydro power plants had been operating at full capacity due to heavy rains. The rains had now stopped, he said.
“The coming months will be dry. It is a good time to generate solar power. However, we have done nothing to expand our solar power infrastructure. In fact, the CEB has thwarted attempts by various governments to boost solar infrastructure,” he said.
Eng. Pathirage said there were enough experts in Sri Lanka who could build renewable energy infrastructure. If wind and solar power infrastructure was built up Sri Lanka could save a lot of foreign currency too, he said.
“There is no need to attract large foreign investors. We can manage with local expertise and we can save a lot of foreign exchange” he said.
The Secretary to the Ministry of Power was not immediately available for comment.
News
Establishment of an Institutional Framework to Inagurate Upper Hydro Catchment Areas Management Authority
Policy approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was granted at their meeting held on 08.06.2026 to establish the Upper Hydro Catchment Areas Management Authority for identification and
execution of a formal and long – lasting remedy to secure the central hills including the upper hydro catchment areas enabling them to sustain amidst extreme weather conditions
due to natural calamities and human activities as well as to be used for the sustainable development of the country.
Accordingly, a concept paper has been prepared including
institutional structure, activities, powers, active subject area as well as administrative and coordination mechanism for the proposed authority by an expert technical committee appointed by the Secretary to the President.
Based on the said concept paper, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the President to instruct the Legal Draftsman to prepare a draft bill including legal provisions required for the establishment of Upper Hydro Catchment Areas Management Authority.
News
Introduction of Flora and Fauna (Regulation of actions of the Indigenous Community within the nominated areas) Regulations
With the objective of securing the traditional livelihood and the eco system of the indigenous community, it has been recognized the necessity of introducing a formal regulation methodology to secure their engagement in livelihood activities by being more sensitive to the existing laws.
Thereby, the Fauna and Flora (regularizing) regulations under the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance (Authority 469) have been prepared so that nominated activities within the prescribed area to a member of the indigenous community
who has been registered for securing the rights acquired from law or custom or usage or traditional stance to execute an act within a certain state land that is fundamental to the survival of the indigenous community permission can be granted
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Environment to publish the said regulations in the government gazette notification and thereby submit to the Parliament for its concurrence.
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