CEB sub station prone to subversion

By Hiran Priyankara Jayasinghe

The sub station and abandoned office quarters

A Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) sub station distributing electricity to the Puttalam cement factory as well as consumers in Kalladi, Puttalam has limited security cover, residents in the area said.

The sub station is located on a 14 acre block of land but only three acres of land is enclosed in wire mesh while the rest of the land is unprotected and overgrown with weeds.

No use is made of six office quarters on the land. Earlier 10 policemen were guarding the area round the clock, but three years ago they were removed and later replaced with private security men who work alongside CEB security officers.“As the LTTE has exploded transformers in the Puttalam area, people here now live in fear,” a resident said.

The wire mesh which is said to be 29 years old is now in a damaged state. Puttalam police HQI Y.Gunaratne said though security was provided to the area some time back, due to lack of staff enough men could not be assigned now. The matter has been brought to the notice of the IGP and also CEB officials, he said.