• Public consultations will take time to complete as many have expressed concern
• EIA report for the Est. $ 442 m wind power project has already been published

In the wake of various allegations being made by certain parties, including environmentalists, regarding the negative impact of the proposed Mannar wind power project, the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) and other authorities await the conclusion of the public consultation programme to make a final decision.

Recently, the Board of Investment approved India’s Adani Green Energy Limited’s United States dollars ($) 442 million initiative to build two wind power facilities in Mannar and Pooneryn, with the Mannar project slated to have a capacity of 250 megawatts. Meanwhile, a number of environmentalists have already warned the Sri Lankan Government on the impact it exerts on the country’s environment, according to the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) conducted on the project. They have raised serious concerns about its unfavourable conditions for migratory birds and also urged the CEA to take immediate action regarding the issues.

However, when contacted by The Daily Morning yesterday (4), the CEA Chairman Venura Fernando said that no final decision has been taken thus far regarding the approval of the project as it is still at the public consultation stage, where the CEA cannot make any decision. Fernando noted that the EIA report has already been published, and that it is open for every individual and civil society organisation to come up with their proposals and views with regard to the project, and that therefore, there is much more time to take a decision regarding the power project.

“We have published the EIA report, and that is how the public, including those parties who raise various concerns, became aware of the respective matters. According to the standard procedure, the decision is to be taken after the public consultation stage. We have to go through what the people have said about the project. Then, we review all the matters raised by the stakeholders, after which we take a decision,” he added.

Speaking further, he stated that the CEA has never taken its attention away from the matter and its impact on the environment, but that it should adhere to the prescribed procedures when dealing with such projects of national importance.