Power project: India backs out of Sampur

Amidst protests by the LTTE and the TNA, the Indian government has rejected the controversial Sampur area as the possible site for the construction of a 500-MW coal-fired thermal power project.

The Sunday Times learns that the Indian Government had written to President Mahinda Rajapaksa before the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed on Friday between the two sides saying India was not in favour of the plant coming up in Sampur.

The letter indicated that the main reason for the opposition was the distance from Sampur to the jetty in Trincomalee — but the LTTE and the TNA have also now openly come out against the project.
Power and Energy Minister John Seneviratne told The Sunday Times the Government had offered Sampur for the setting up of the plant because the necessary extent of land was available there.

“I have asked the Indian engineers to visit the site and decide and inform the government,” Mr. Seneviratne said. He aded he was unaware of the letter sent by the Indian government. The pro-LTTE Tamilnet website on Friday launched a campaign against the proposed project saying it had a ‘hidden political agenda to evict Tamils from Mutur’. However The Sunday Times learns the Indian government’s position on Sampur was communicated to the President before the LTTE came out against it.

The TNA has also expressed opposition to the thermal plant being set up in Sampur. Its Trincomalee district parliamentarian K. Thurairetnasingham in a statement said the power plant would have permanent adverse effects on Tamils in the area. He also said this was part of a move to evict the Tamils from the region to consolidate gains from recent military operations.

Work on the power plant is scheduled to start next year and its completion is targeted for 2011. It will involve an investment of US $ 500 million and will be implemented by a joint venture company to be formed with a stake of 50% each by National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), an Indian Government undertaking, and the Ceylon Electricity Board. Meanwhile, the Norochcholai coal power project on which work was started recently, has also run into more opposition. On Friday, more than one thousand residents led by religious leaders of all major faiths protested against the project.

They petitioned President Mahinda Rajapaksa, saying the project would cause terrible environmental damage. This 300-MW power plant, costing US$ 450 million, is a joint venture with a Chinese company.