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Appeal to god to stop construction of coal power plant in Norochcholai
18 August: The All Religion Collective Against the Coal Power Plant appealed god to stop the construction of the power plant in Norochcholai in the Western Province of Sri Lanka. The people’s action was held in Narakkalliya church on August 18, 2 PM. Thousands of people participated in the peaceful protest amidst tight security provided by police. The The residents said police removed the black flags hoisted by them in protest of the coal power plant.
The All Religion Collective Against Coal Power Plant say that the side effects of burning coal to generate electricity harms all the life of the Kalpitiya peninsula as well as the whole country and resettling 82 families who were living in the site chosen for the plant would not solve all the problems. The collective is also skeptical on the high security zone to be set up in the area.
The construction work of the Norochcholai coal power officially commenced officially on August 08 and the President observed the construction, a couple of days prior to that.
Sri Lanka government has decided to obtain a credit of US $ 50 million from from international banks at a higher interest rate and the projects that are to be funded through the credit included the preliminary work of the Norochcholai coal power plant.
On August 06, President Mahinda Rajapakse attended an observation tour in the construction site of Norochcholai.
The President also said that the government has taken steps to provide fuel to the Ceylon Electricity Board at a subsidized price to keep the electricity tariff low. He also expressed hopes to reduce the electricity tariff when the Norochcholai coal power plant would commence generation.
Chairmen of the CMEC Company and the Exim Bank of China are also to accompany the President CMEC is the contractor of the construction and Exim Bank provides loan US $ 450 million credit for the project.
The plant is expected to commence operations by 2009 and will generate 300 MW in the first stage.
