Group within CEB fuelling sabotage – Patali

Sabotage cannot be ruled out in the recent events in the power sector as a certain group within the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) was attempting to disrupt its work, Megapolis Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka told Parliament yesterday.

Speaking during an adjournment debate in the House, Minister Ranawaka pointed out that the water in reservoirs have been reduced deliberately by some interested persons.
The minister said though the water levels were adequate in the months of January, February and March in 2012 during his tenure as the Power and Energy Minister, the mismanagement and all mafias had begun after he left the ministry.

Some suggestions I made to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa was dismissed, he said as he tabled a letter he had written to Mr. Rajapaksa during the last regime. He urged that all suggestions made in the letter were his.

Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) MP Sunil Handunnetti stated that a mafia, carried out by some private companies from whom the government purchase power, prevented the authorities from adopting an alternative power supply arrangement.

While disclosing the name of such a company, the MP said the CEB Chairman was in the board of directors in that particular entity. “How could this be?” he questioned.

Meanwhile, Deputy Power and Energy Minister Ajith P Perera who responded to all allegations assured that the ministry would introduce a new system where all households would be converted into mini-solar power plants.

This would begin with 65,000 houses that were to be constructed in the North, he said adding that two solar power plants would be set up in the North and East as well. (Yohan Perera and Kelum Bandara)