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| Sunday, 17 October 2004 |
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Work on Hambantota harbour to begin within two weeks by Elmo Leonard Work on the Hambantota harbour will begin within two weeks with Chinese government participation, Chairman, Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) Dileep Wijesundera told media last week. Hambantota is a natural harbour with a depth to take in any large ship a few metres from the coastline. In 1933 the English bypassed Hambantota and opted for Colombo, due to scanty population in the southern setting and the lack of accommodating infrastructure in its environs, SLPA Vice Chairman Dr. Krishan Deheragoda said. There is evidence that Hambantota had been a harbour in ancient times with ships from China and the rest of the then navigating world, having called, here. Detailed development of the harbour would be avoided as a first step to get the harbour started. Initially, less than Rs. 100 million would be needed the media was told. As Hambantota is more strategically situated than Singapore, the Singaporeans had always been behind discouraging Sri Lanka from building a second harbour, it was explained. The many feasibility studies for the Hambantota harbour would be shelved. Such studies for the development of Sri Lanka's ports had cost the nation many billions of rupees, running into many years for repayment, while accumulating rates of interest was colossal. India's proposed Sethusamugram Canal to dredge the Indian side of the sea which borders Sri Lanka and India covering a distance of 260 kilometres was described as an Indian political gimmick. Dr. Deheragoda said that the project would not be feasible; the canal would need constant digging; the displaced sand would destroy part of the southern Indian coastline and part of the Jaffna peninsula. The proposed Colombo South Harbour, an expansion of the present harbour would also take place making Sri Lanka the maritime hub of the region, Wijesundera said. The present harbour facilities would also be extended. With 1000 luxury yachts passing Sri Lanka, a Yaucht Marina would also be built in Hambantota. The port of Trincomalee and Kankesanthurai harbours are also to be developed but security is not assured around the natural harbour. An Ocean City has been planned for Trincomalee. |
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