CEB overuses water quota

The Irrigation Department alleged that the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) has overused its quota of reservoir water in March, possibly resulting in grave consequences to the water supply to farmers during the now on Yala season.

Official sources alleged that the CEB has breached the Water Panel agreement to obtain 19 million cubic metres of water for hydro power generation in March and used over 54 million cubic metres instead, perhaps to overcome the crisis in the coal power and thermal power generation plants.

"The Water Panel decides every month the volume of water issued to each institution."

The panel consists of representatives from the Irrigation Department, Water Resources Board, Mahaweli Authority and the CEB and each of them possess a key for the sluice gates.

The sources alleged that the CEB had used their key and opened the sluice gates without the others' consent which is against the ethics and norms upheld by members of the Panel to date.

He said the CEB may have resorted to this extreme measure since the Petroleum Corporation had been taking a tough stand with its supply of fuel to the Kerawalapitiya Plant as well as issues in the Norochcholai coal power plant, but its action has put the Irrigation Department in a difficult situation.

- MF