News
Environmentalists punch holes in EIA on Muthurajawela land reclamation
by Rathindra Kuruwita
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report on the Muthurajawela land reclamation activities for the proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) power plant had a number of holes and implementing the project would have devastating ecological, hydrological and socio-economic impacts, environmentalists said yesterday
They said that given that fact Sri Lanka, too, would stop using LNG by the 2040s, the entire project would be a waste of public funds.
Environmental Officer at the Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ) Indika Rajapaksha said that the project required the filling of 47 hectares of land, 30 that belonged to the Sri Lanka Land Development Corporation and 17 that belonged to the Wattala Divisional Secretariat.
“The project is to use 1.1 million cubic metres of sand from sea and the sand will be taken from a sand burrowing site that was used previously for the Port City Project. However, those who prepared the EIA do not know the current status of the site. We have already burrowed 60 million cubes of sand to the Port City from this site. These will definitely have an impact on the fish, corals and sea grass beds, which in turn will have a devastating impact on the fishermen in the area,” Rajapaksha said.
Meanwhile, filling up 47 hectares of marsh land would have a significant impact on the flood retention capacity of Muthurajawela, he said. The EIA erroneously stated that only 1% of the flood retention area would be reduced by the project, however the real number was close to 25%, Rajapaksha said.
“The EIA does a neat trick. When those who prepared the EIA, calculated the total flood retention area, they had also considered a lot of land in the Negombo lagoon. However, if we look at the flood retention area of Muthurajawela it’s only 207 hectares,” he said.
The CEJ Environmental Officer said that in 2020, Professor. Prasanthi Gunawardena of the Department of Forestry and Environmental Science, University of Sri Jayewardenepura did an ecosystem survey of Muthurajawela marsh and estimated its annual value at Rs. 2.74 billion.
Meanwhile, independent energy expert Vidhura Ralapanawe said that the earliest LNG plants at the site will be built only in 2027. However, the policy of the Gotabaya Rajapaksa administration is to have 70% of power through renewable energy, he said. Moreover in August 2019, Sri Lanka had pledged to be carbon neutral by 2050.
“To meet either of these goals, we can’t have a fossil fuel plant after the one that will be built in 2024. However, the CEB says it plans to build two LNG plants in 2027 and 2033. These plants can’t be built, because it’s against policy. Recently, President Rajapaksa has insisted that he will not support the construction of fossil fuel plants and that he is quite serious about his renewable energy goals. So, what is even the point of filling the marsh land?,” Ralapanawe asked.
He said that if the government went ahead with the project, it would be another indication of the lack of communication between various branches of the government.
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
