Former Chairman of Lanka Coal Limited summoned before Parliamentary Committee over coal deal

Colombo, Jan. 27 (Daily Mirror) - The Sectoral Oversight Committee on Infrastructure and Strategic Development has decided to summon the former Chairman of Lanka Coal (Private) Limited, who was involved in the processes related to the import of the controvercial coal consignments, before the committee.

The decision was taken when the Committee met in Parliament recently under the Chairmanship of MP S.M. Marikkar.

Matters relating to coal imported to Sri Lanka for electricity generation were examined at the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Infrastructure and Strategic Development.

Officials from the Ministry of Power and Energy and the Lanka Coal Company (Private) Limited were summoned to attend the Committee meeting.

During the meeting, the Committee sought clarifications from officials regarding the procedures followed in the coal import process. Particular attention was paid to the procedures adopted during the most recent coal imports, and officials were questioned in detail on this matter.

The Chairman of the Committee inquired whether any issues had arisen concerning the quality of the coal most recently imported into the country. 

Officials informed the Committee that samples from three coal vessels that arrived in Sri Lanka had been sent to India for quality testing and that accurate information could be provided once the relevant reports were received.

The Chairman instructed officials to submit to the Committee, on the same day of the next meeting, the quality reports of the coal in the three vessels that arrived in Sri Lanka, as well as the laboratory reports conducted in Sri Lanka on the quality of coal contained in the most recently arrived vessel.