Resettlement won’t affect Sampur power project, Trinco harbour - Austin 

By Shamindra Ferdinando-May 12, 2015

Eastern Province Governor Austin Fernando yesterday said that the on-going resettlement programme wouldn’t affect the proposed Sampur coal-fired power project.

Fernando insisted that the government would ensure the project would go ahead as planned.

The coal power plant is a joint venture between the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) and the National Thermal Power Corporation Ltd. (NTPC) of India.

Asked whether the resettlement project would undermine existing arrangements meant to ensure security of the strategic Trincomalee harbour, the one-time Defence Secretary Fernando alleged that various interested parties were propagating lies.

The government would ensure the coal-fired project had access to all its requirements, though President Maithripala Sirisena last week revoked an earlier decision to allocate 818 acres for BOI projects. The project was vital for the national economy, Governor Fernando said, emphasizing his commitment to accelerate development projects.

Responding to another query, he said that the entire 504 acre block of land that had been allocated by the previous government for the plant would continue to be under the control of the project.

Similarly, the decision to shift a makeshift navy training facility at Sampur wouldn’t jeopardize security of the Trincomalee  harbour, Fernando, said, adding that the navy would establish a permanent base at the adjoining land. Governor Fernando said that the navy had utilized 237 acres of land previously. Although less than 200 acres had been allocated for the proposed navy training facility, it would be a much better base with all required facilities, he said.

 "The decision was made in consultation with Navy Commander Vice Admiral Jayantha Perera. Therefore, there is absolutely no basis for allegations that resettlement is taking place at the expense of national security", the Governor said.

In fact, he said the new navy facility would have access on two fronts to the sea, whereas previously there was only one.

Responding to allegations that the harbour could come under threat due to shifting of the training base, an irate Fernando said that Sampur had been under LTTE control for several years. Although the LTTE had used the area as a launching pad for attacks on naval assets and positioned Long range weapons, the army brought the area under its control in early September 2006, he said.

"In face of the threat posed by the LTTE, the military had no option but to resort to security measures. These counter measures invariably caused severe hardships to the civilian community. There cannot be any justifiable reason to deprive those who had been displaced during the conflict an opportunity to return to their land."

Governor Fernando said the fact people had been languishing in refugee camps six years after the conclusion of the conflict was nothing but a national shame. It would be pertinent to mention that the military had liberated the entire Eastern Province in mid-2007 to pave the way for resettlement, Governor said. However, the people of Sampur had been deprived of that opportunity, he said, pointing out that the issue was raised both here and overseas at various forums.

Alleging that the Opposition had been trying to portray the resettlement programme as a sell-out to the LTTE, the Governor insisted that the previous government gave up land categorised as high security zones both in the Northern and Eastern Provinces since the end of war. Some of those Sampur displaced, too, had been resettled, the official said, recollecting an assurance given by the then Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa to resettle all and adequate compensation to those deprived of their land. "We are only continuing with the UPFA’s project," Governor Fernando said, urging political parties to cooperate with the government. The official alleged that the previous government hadn’t kept an assurance given to the Supreme Court as regards the resettlement of the refugees.

Fernando said he had no option but to deny a CEB request for over 300 acres of land from Muttur for a Japanese-funded project. As the project would have affected 137 families, the government decided against releasing land for a second power project there, he said. However, the government and the Eastern Provincial Council (EPC) remained committed to make way for the project.

At the conclusion of the interview, Governor Fernando pointed out that a two storeyed school building situated within the former naval training facility had remained closed for over seven years. The school hadn’t be re-opened even after the end of the conflict, Fernando, said, emphasizing the government’s commitment to restore normalcy.