News
Upcoming Adani plant in Jharkhand to sell power to Bangladesh, will make its economy suffer: Report
The Adani Godda ultra-supercritical coal power plant being built in Jharkhand’s Godda district by the Adani Group will sell its power to Bangladesh. But a new Indo-Bangladesh report accessed by Down To Earth has claimed that Bangladesh’s economy will suffer in the process, even as Adani will get richer.The report also alleged the Adani Group forcibly acquired the land to build the plant from local farmers, without payment of proper compensation.
The report was published June 7, 2022, by the Bangladesh Working Group on External Debt (BWGED), a forum of activists and India-based Growthwatch, a voluntary research and advocacy institution that protects natural resources from being grabbed by powerful groups.The report stated that Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) signed an agreement with the Adani Group in November 2017 to offtake 1,496 megawatt power from Godda Coal Power Plant under a cross-border electricity trade arrangement.
The BPDB agreed to pay 3.26 Bangladeshi taka (Rs 2.72) per kilowatt hour as capacity charge, which is higher than any other power plant in Bangladesh.
“The BPDB will have to pay Tk 3,657.23 crore (approximately Rs 3,053.79 crore) in capacity charges annually and Tk 108,360.60 crore (Rs 90,470.265 crore) over the plant’s 25 years operational lifetime”.
This, the report states, will lead to Adani making more profits, without benefitting Bangladesh citizens.
The capacity charge is more than enough to build three bridges over the Padma river in Bangladesh or nine Karnaphuli river tunnels or four metro railways in Dhaka, the report stated.According to the report, the Padma Bridge was built at a cost of Rs 3,00,84,56,73,000 while the construction of metro railways in Dhaka cost Rs 2,01,34,11,61,000 and the Karnaphuli River tunnel cost Rs 94,83,15,15,000.Moreover, according to the report, in the best scenario, the annual capacity charges payable to the Adani Godda power plant would stand at Tk 2,865.55 crore (Rs 2,392.16 crore), while the lifetime capacity charges would reach Tk 84,903.72 crore (Rs 70,877.62 crore).
“Since Bangladesh doesn’t need any more power, the amount spent will only benefit the Adani Group, not the people of Bangladesh,” Hasan Mehedi, member secretary of BWGED and one of the authors of the report, was quoted as saying.
“So, the people and the Bangladesh economy particularly, will have to suffer for the luxury of a billionaire company who is getting richer every year,” Mehedi added.The coal-fired Adani Godda plant being built in Jharkhand may be commissioned in August. However, the transmission line required by Bangladesh in order to import power from the Indo-Bangla border is likely to not be ready by December.
“BPDB will have to pay Tk 1,219.10 crore (Rs 1,017.70 crore) in capacity charges for the waiting period of four months even though no power will make its way to Bangladesh,” the report said.The report noted that the power plant may emit 221.1 million tonnes (MT) of carbon dioxide in its lifetime, with an average emission of 9.35 MT annually.
“India is the third-largest country in the world which is committed to achieving net zero by 2070, instead of 2050. The position is highly criticised by the global community. This power plant will only help to establish India as a climate denier,” it said. – Down to Earth
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
