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Hiccups
of a coal power plant Some 1000 protestors including Catholic priests gathered around the proposed site to protest against the power project. Puttalam Police Superintendent Roshan Fernando told The Sunday Times that in view of the protest the officials were turned away fearing their work would be hampered by the protests. The location for the setting up of the coal power plant was decorated with black flags while protestors were carrying placards against the proposed project. The demonstrators were adamant to continue with the protest campaign until the project was cancelled as the people in the area believe the coal plant would jeopardize the vegetation and pollute the environment around the area. The protestors said President Mahinda Rajapakse the then Prime Minister assured the Chilaw Bishop a few days before the election that the government would not go ahead with the coal power plant project. They admit that there is a power crisis in the country but they could not allow cultivable land in the region to be neglected or ruined due to the new power plant being installed to solve the power crisis. The lives of about 20,000 families and their means of employment would be jeopardised as none of those living in the Kalpitiya peninsula have ever asked for any form of employment from any government so far. They plead that they be allowed to continue their usual life style without any interference of this nature. Fr. Anton Wyman the parish priest of Mampuriya said from time to time officials of the CEB were in the habit of visiting the area and misleading the people but were silent when questions were asked by the residents about their fears concerning the new coal power plant. He said though for the past nine years successive administrations have spoken about the matter no Minister of any government has so far visited the area or some official with authority had met them to clarify the doubts and concerns of the people. Former President Chandrika Kumaratunga is due to lay the foundation stone for the power plant project after it was postponed on two earlier occasions. |
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