Wednesday, November 17, 2004
CEB playing dirty power tricks: EFL
By Damitha Hemachandra
Wednesday, November 17, 2004
The Environment Foundation Limited (EFL) yesterday called upon the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) to restore the cuts made in the Mini Hydro tariffs as decided by the Cabinet on October 6, 2004.
EFL condemned the early reduction of the purchasing rate of electricity generated by mini hydropower plant from Rs. 5.85 to Rs. 4.95 per unit as a serious mistake, which should have been rectified long ago.
While condemning the CEB's policy of subsidizing fossil fuel based power generation and CEB's clear preference towards 'dirty' energy sources against 'cleaner ' sources, EFL said that it is vital for the country to diversify into alternative renewable power generation sources such as more hydro, solar and wind power.
EFL spokesman, Vinod Munasinghe pointed out that the Mini Hydro electricity generation is one of the most important renewable sources of power in Sri Lanka, lacking adverse environmental and social impacts, unlike coal and diesel based power production.
"The field is one that should be expanded, provided that the projects bide the environment norms of the country, especially given the multiplicity of the small rivers and streams in the country," he said, adding that the CEB is yet to assess the true hydro electricity potential in the country.
The CEB had indicated 97.4 MW as the mini hydropower potential of the country with 251 selected sites while EFL pointed out that these estimations and statistics are outdated and should be reassessed to attain the current raining patterns.
There are nearly 50 Mini Hydropower Projects (MHPP) in the country, based mainly in the Mahaweli and Kelani river basins while the sudden increase of tariffs and reduction of buying price discouraged many MHPP operators.
Wednesday, November 17, 2004
The Environment Foundation Limited (EFL) yesterday called upon the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) to restore the cuts made in the Mini Hydro tariffs as decided by the Cabinet on October 6, 2004.
EFL condemned the early reduction of the purchasing rate of electricity generated by mini hydropower plant from Rs. 5.85 to Rs. 4.95 per unit as a serious mistake, which should have been rectified long ago.
While condemning the CEB's policy of subsidizing fossil fuel based power generation and CEB's clear preference towards 'dirty' energy sources against 'cleaner ' sources, EFL said that it is vital for the country to diversify into alternative renewable power generation sources such as more hydro, solar and wind power.
EFL spokesman, Vinod Munasinghe pointed out that the Mini Hydro electricity generation is one of the most important renewable sources of power in Sri Lanka, lacking adverse environmental and social impacts, unlike coal and diesel based power production.
"The field is one that should be expanded, provided that the projects bide the environment norms of the country, especially given the multiplicity of the small rivers and streams in the country," he said, adding that the CEB is yet to assess the true hydro electricity potential in the country.
The CEB had indicated 97.4 MW as the mini hydropower potential of the country with 251 selected sites while EFL pointed out that these estimations and statistics are outdated and should be reassessed to attain the current raining patterns.
There are nearly 50 Mini Hydropower Projects (MHPP) in the country, based mainly in the Mahaweli and Kelani river basins while the sudden increase of tariffs and reduction of buying price discouraged many MHPP operators.
Flavour budget to conserve natural resources
Wednesday, November 17, 200
The Alliance for the protection of National Resources and Human Rights (ANRHR) in its proposal for the budget 2005 called upon the Government to introduce a process of rebuilding and recovering the 'regenerative capacity of our land and other natural resources'.
ANRHR pointed out that this is the only method to revive the economical status of the low-income earning groups such as the rural agriculture communities, plantation worker communities and the small-scale fishing communities.
"A basically non-market approach is meaningful and necessary in the case of the poor in the country, when one examines the figures of poverty in the country," ANRHR spokesman said, adding that 40 per cent of the country's population receive an income of Rs. 950 per month, which is less than US$ 5 per day.
According to the ANRHR the most valuable assets of the country are its human potential, which also include traditional knowledge, ecological irrigation and ecological resources including water, bio diversity and medicinal plants.
"There is a necessity to re-build the creative potentials of the people in utilizing these resources," the report said, urging the Government to give a local touch to the economy, without basing the budget on World Bank and IMF recommendations.
ANRHR also came strongly against proposals to merchandise water, while calling for the Government to introduce projects to provide safe potable water for the country by upgrading and expanding the national water supply system.
" Much money is to be borrowed and invested on activities to meet water requirements and to avoid a possible water crisis in the near future but, most of these proposals aim at giving an economical value to water," ANRHR said, adding that none of these proposals afford any attention to the crisis of unequal distribution of water presently prevailing in the country. (DH)
The Alliance for the protection of National Resources and Human Rights (ANRHR) in its proposal for the budget 2005 called upon the Government to introduce a process of rebuilding and recovering the 'regenerative capacity of our land and other natural resources'.
ANRHR pointed out that this is the only method to revive the economical status of the low-income earning groups such as the rural agriculture communities, plantation worker communities and the small-scale fishing communities.
"A basically non-market approach is meaningful and necessary in the case of the poor in the country, when one examines the figures of poverty in the country," ANRHR spokesman said, adding that 40 per cent of the country's population receive an income of Rs. 950 per month, which is less than US$ 5 per day.
According to the ANRHR the most valuable assets of the country are its human potential, which also include traditional knowledge, ecological irrigation and ecological resources including water, bio diversity and medicinal plants.
"There is a necessity to re-build the creative potentials of the people in utilizing these resources," the report said, urging the Government to give a local touch to the economy, without basing the budget on World Bank and IMF recommendations.
ANRHR also came strongly against proposals to merchandise water, while calling for the Government to introduce projects to provide safe potable water for the country by upgrading and expanding the national water supply system.
" Much money is to be borrowed and invested on activities to meet water requirements and to avoid a possible water crisis in the near future but, most of these proposals aim at giving an economical value to water," ANRHR said, adding that none of these proposals afford any attention to the crisis of unequal distribution of water presently prevailing in the country. (DH)
