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Adani ‘disappointed’ by SL energy project controversy

15 Jun 2022

  • Says investing in Sri Lanka ‘to address the needs of a valued neighbour’
India’s Adani Group said yesterday (14) that it was “disappointed”, as it reacted to massive controversy after former Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) Chairman M.M.C. Ferdinando had claimed that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had instructed him to award the tender for an energy project in Mannar to said organisation as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had been pushing for it. “Our intent in investing in Sri Lanka is to address the needs of a valued neighbour. As a responsible corporate, we see this as a necessary part of the partnership that our two nations have always shared. We are clearly disappointed by the detraction that seems to have come about. The fact is that the issue has already been addressed by and within the Sri Lankan Government,” a spokesperson of the Adani Group had told Indian media. Ferdinando resigned from his position as Chairman of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) on Monday (13), three days after making the aforementioned statement before the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE), when the CEB was summoned before COPE at the Parliamentary complex last Friday (10).  Upon questioning by COPE, Ferdinando stated that the tender for the wind power plant in Mannar had been awarded to India’s Adani Group as per the instructions of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, and as a result of the pressure exerted by Modi on Rajapaksa. This backed up the contents of a letter written on 25 November 2021 that was addressed to then-Secretary to the Treasury and Ministry of Finance S.R. Attygalle by Ferdinando, which stated that the President had “directed” the latter to “facilitate” the development of the renewable energy project in Mannar. “Immediately after the progress review meeting on renewable energy with HE the President held on 16.11.2021 at the Presidential Secretariat, I was directed by the HE the President to facilitate M/s Adani Green Energy to develop 500MW wind and solar, renewable energy project in Mannar and Punarin, as he has already agreed to invest substantial amount of FDI in Sri Lanka [sic],” the letter read. However, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa issued a statement following the COPE meeting last week, in which he refuted the claims made by Ferdinando implying undue authorisation for the wind power project. He stated that he had not at any time given authorisation to award a wind power project in Mannar to any person or any institution, and categorically denied the statement made by Ferdinando to COPE. Ferdinando later apologised over his statement made at the COPE meeting, saying that he withdrew the statement and that it was “totally incorrect”. Issuing a statement addressed to COPE Chairman Dr. Charitha Herath, the former CEB Chairman had said that he was “compelled without limitation” to express the word “Indian Prime Minister” due to unexpected “pressure and emotions” during the discussion.


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