Mannar-based politicians said that no Tamil party representing the Northern Province in Parliament has raised its objection so far to the proposal in which Mannar is repeatedly being identified as the connecting point of the Indo-Lanka electricity grid connection, since that proposal is still in the process of being considered. 

In the wake of the media reporting that Mannar in northern Sri Lanka and Madurai in southern India have been reportedly identified as connecting points of the proposed electricity transmission line between the two countries, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Opposition Parliamentarian Selvam Adaikkalanathan yesterday (16) told The Daily Morning that it is yet to be confirmed by the two Governments. He also said that several representatives of the Sri Lankan Government – including Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Aviation Nimal Siripala de Silva – had visited Mannar and met them, but that no final decision was reached regarding Mannar being selected as a connecting point. 

He further said that the TNA had not yet made a collective decision regarding this proposal, but that no objection has been raised so far concerning the matter. He added that this matter should be brought up in Parliament if the Government wants to carry on this project, and that therefore, Northern political parties will have the opportunity to discuss more about this proposal and to raise their concerns over its benefits and disadvantages.

The grid connectivity has been an idea mooted as far back as 2003, but tangible work has been done only recently. The project is envisaged in the joint statement issued after the conclusion of the visit of President Ranil Wickremesinghe to India in recent times.

Local media had reported that the total distance of the proposed power line would be 280-300 kilometres unless the identified connecting points were altered later, and also that the Sri Lankan side had kept both undersea cables and overhead lines optional in the execution of the project.