Former Matale District Member of Parliament Rohini Kaviratne says that the restructuring of the energy sector may be completely disrupted due to the blocking of the attachment of all employees of the Electricity Board to four respective successor companies in violation of the Electricity Act.
Increasing the efficiency and productivity of the energy sector and creating a cost reflective energy sector is a need of the hour. It became a law with the consent of all parties for more than two years as a national policy. The ex-member of parliament said in a statement that changing the national energy policy arbitrarily is a disaster.
The employment of the employees has been stopped by a letter dated 25.10.2024 ‘informing the officers and employees’ signed by the General Manager of the Electricity Board K. G. R. F. Komester. It is clearly a violation of the Sri Lanka Electricity Act No. 36 of 2024. Employees should be assigned to the respective companies within four months of the passing of the Act. The law states that within 2 months of that, employees must express their willingness or unwillingness to join the respective companies. The Electricity Act should be fully operational by June 27, 2025. This entire process is affected by the article.
The General Manager of the Electricity Board has prevented the operation of the existing legal provisions of an Act of Parliament by imputing a power which does not belong to him. This is illegal.
The power mafia is back in action to start corrupt emergency power purchases and coal power projects. Disrupting the Electricity Act and stalling reforms in the power sector is a crucial step.
A situation like a burnt cake will be created in the power sector by the full implementation of the Electricity Act without fulfilling the prerequisites of the Electricity Act, which is a national policy and the law of the country.
Also, abandoning the Rajagiriya stilt railway project will have disastrous results for the country. You may even have to pay serious compensation. Furthermore, non-compliance with the agreements reached with the International Monetary Fund, World Bank, Asian Development Bank, JICA and USAID will again create serious diplomatic problems.
– Media unit