N’CHOLAI ECO LICENCE WITHHELD

By Rukshana Rizwie

The renewal of the Environmental Protection License (EPL) for the Lak Vijaya Power Plant in Norochcholai for this year has been delayed following the Central Environment Authority (CEA) taking over the assessments from the North Western Environment Protection Authority due to environmental concerns, the Sunday Observer reliably learns.

“Since Norochcholai Power Plant is a national project, a decision was reached for the CEA to review, monitor and make the necessary assessments before issuing a renewed license,” said Dr. Sanjaya Rathnayake, who heads the Pollution Control Unit at the CEA. “We feel that the NWEPA does not have the technical knowledge or capability to do this assessment.”

Dr Rathnayake added that the CEA will do the necessary checks and balances before issuing a renewed license, which would take a month to be finalized. “We have one set of mobile measuring equipment in use since the other one is malfunctioning. We have to conduct a lot of tests, which will take time.”

He also added that there are no implications of the non-renewal on the operations of the power plant unless a complaint is filed, after which industries operating without EPL are normally shut down.

“We applied for a renewal of the EPL over three months ago, we were told that we would receive it this week, so far we haven’t and no explanation was given for the delay,” an engineer at the Norochcholai Power Plant told the Sunday Observer.

Sources told the Sunday Observer that while the reasons for the delay were unclear, there had been questions over the environmental impact of the plant which has not been appropriately managed or addressed by the Ceylon Electricity Board in the recent past. This includes the spread of dry ash to nearby villages and plantations and the spillage of coal which has resulted in the loss of livelihood for fisherfolk in the area.

According to the National Environment Acts No 56 of 1988 and No 53 of 2000 obtaining the Environmental Protection License (EPL) from the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) is mandatory for the power generation sector.

Along with the EPL, the Norochcholai plant should also obtain the Certificate of Environmental Clearance (CEC) from the NWPE for the coal-fired power plant since it is located in North Western Provincial Council area.

The CEC mentions that there are certain emissions standards which have to be maintained by the plant. A renewal of the EPL is considered as an indication that the plant is in line with the prevailing environmental regulations.

Dr. Suren Batagoda, Secretary to the Ministry of Power and renewable energy, when contacted, was not available for comment on the issue.