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හම්බන්තොට එවුන්ට කෙලලා නේද බන්
- Thread starter r.pathirana
- Start date
The areas that had come under Dole’s banana cultivation project included 15,000 acres from Chunnakkadu Reserve in Kantale, 11,600 acres at Kandakaduwa in Somawathiya National Park, 3,000 acres at Uva-Kudaoya in Lunugamwehera and 500 acres at Wekandawewa in Buttala."
The Island, August 22, 2011.
දැන් හම්බන්තොට, මොනරාගල මුඩු බිම් industrial zone එකක් දාන්න බද්දට දෙන්න හදනකොට උඩපනින බය්යෝ ඒකාලේ කොහෙද බන් හිටියේ ?
US firm clearing virgin forests to grow banana, CEA in the dark
August 22, 2011, 8:31 pm
by Hiran H. Senewiratne
The Central Environmental Authority (CEA), which issues the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report on any development project in the country, is unaware that more than 60,000 acres of virgin forest land have been cleared by a US based multi- national company for banana cultivation in SriLanka.
A group of environmental activists including Piyal Parakrama of the Environmental Foundation Limited (EFL) disclosed at a press briefing in Colombo on Thursday (18) that vast stretches of virgin forest in various parts of the country would be given to Dole Food Company.
EFL Convener Ravindra Kariyawasam pointed out that the areas that had come under Dole’s banana cultivation project included 15,000 acres from Chunnakkadu Reserve in Kantale, 11,600 acres at Kandakaduwa in Somawathiya National Park, 3,000 acres at Uva-Kudaoya in Lunugamwehera and 500 acres at Wekandawewa in Buttala.
When The Island contacted Chairman of CEA Charita Herath for comment, he said that he was unaware of those projects and that only a narrow road inside the Sinharaja forest had been built with the CEA’s permission as it had zero impact on the forest.
Herath summoned one of his officials to verify whether the EIA reports had been obtained for the projects of the US company and the officer said the CEA had refused to approve several projects. But, clearing of 3,000 acres of forest land in Kandakaduwa in Somawathiya National park was on. Without any approval from the CEA, those projects were going ahead, she implied.
"In most of these forests vast stretches have been cleared and cultivation has commenced. In Wekandawewa, an ancient tank has been encroached on thus cutting off its water to the villagers," Kariyawasam said claiming that Galle, Puttalam, Dambulla and Hingurakgoda were likely to lose forest land to Dole banana project in future.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation report, Sri Lanka has been ranked the 4th worst country in the world in terms of deforestation for the period 2000-05.
The CEA Chairman also said that Sections 5 and 6 of the Amended Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance No. 22 of 2009, had laid down guidelines to prevent harm to the environment, therefore the environmental pressure groups were seeking legal advice on it.
- http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=33014
- http://efl.lk/portfolio-posts/somawathiya-national-park-encroachment/
- https://news.mongabay.com/2011/08/dole-destroying-forest-in-national-park-for-bananas/
- http://www.lakdasun.org/forum/index.php?topic=4347.0
Another one:
https://news.mongabay.com/2013/02/biofuel-company-caught-clearing-elephant-habitat-in-sri-lanka/
මහින්දge ZONE හොඳායි
Sri Lanka’s biggest investment zone at Hambantota
Sunday April 24, 2011
By Sunimalee Dias
The southern town of Hambantota, currently seeing most of the development in the country with an airport, sports facility and convention centre and other mega facilities, is set to witness the construction of Sri Lanka’s biggest investment zone at its port site -- the size being almost equal to all investment zones in the country put together.
All the investment zones (12) together in Sri Lanka managed by the Board of Investment total 2,770.69 acres (1121 hectares) while the new investment zone site at Hambantota amounts to 2,717 acres (1100 hectares)
Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) Chairman Dr. Priyath Bandu Wickrama confirmed to the Business Times that the government is acquiring additional land amounting to 1100 hectares for scaling up investments in the region.
This is being carried out with the intention of extending the boundaries of the port area. The new zone will be connected with a flyover and located adjacent to the Hambantota port. The current Hambantota port area covers 1,500 hectares (3,705 acres) and within this there is a 140-hectare (345.8 acres) area for investments.
Dr. Wickrama pointed out the need for this expansion is to secure sufficient space to convert it to a logistics centre and for any future requirements. Having studied models in Salalah (Oman), Dubai and Singapore it was observed that these today lacked the necessary space for expansion.
Sri Lanka’s viability is perceived to be more than these ports as the island nation is capable of feeding both the East and West coast of the Indian subcontinent “without any issues,” Dr. Wickrama said.
The SLPA chief also said they received a good response from Dubai and Abu Dhabi during his recent visits that proves high potential for investors entering the country.
Asked to explain about the rock blasting work which has seen a sharp rise in costs at the Hambantota port, Dr. Wickrama said this work is “almost completed”. The government, he said, had been fully aware of the rock that was found on location but did not know the exact volume (size), which has exceeded the estimated figures.
Investors have currently infused a total of US$1 billion into the new Hambantota port to set up industries in the free port or economic zone that is a customs free area. Following this first call for proposals a second Requests for Proposals (RFP) will be carried out by October targeting $1.5 billion; while another RFP will be initiated to build a dockyard at the south port.
The government had bagged 23 qualified RFPs with 13 short-listed following a public advertisement calling for industries to invest in the Hambantota port, Port Chief Engineer Agil Hewageegana told the Business Times.
Negotiations were conducted with 11 companies vying to establish plants at the new port while the other two would be met by the end of the month. SLPA will facilitate organizations or companies intending on obtaining BOI status within the respective zones both within and outside the port.
Industries that would be established are cement grinding plant, cement packaging plant, sugar refinery plant, three petro chemical companies, two vehicle assembly plants and four companies in warehousing from Pakistan, India and Switzerland among others.
The petro chemical companies are to be involved in importing oil for blending and selling while another will be engaged in the import of chemicals for the manufacture of plastic bottles. Transmec and Senok will construct the two vehicle assembly plants, Mr Hewageegana said.
In this respect, two committees namely a Technical Evaluation Committee and the Cabinet Appointed Negotiating Committee (CANC) have been established. Following the conduct of negotiations, CANC is set to submit to cabinet the proposals for approval before the end of next month in a bid to commence the signing of agreements and construction work.
Some of the main features of the prospects of setting up industries within the port premises are the water front space availability not found at the Colombo port, Mr Hewageegana said. He pointed out that in this regard, the cement can be pumped directly to the ship from the manufacturing plant situated within the port.
While the industries will be within a customs free area it was possible to export these products without paying customs duty. However, he noted that if these products were sold within the country they would be subject to duties.
- This is Google's cache of http://www.sundaytimes.lk/110424/BusinessTimes/bt01.html. It is a snapshot of the page as it appeared on 28 Dec 2016 09:34:57 GMT.
This is Karma, When MR in power they chased away UNP and now this.
But this is unnecessary. SL really don’t have a choice with mounting debts we have. This is not a case of privatisation its a matter of looming DEFAULT BY SL GOV ( means SL people) .
China is looking to relocate due to cost factor so instead of giving to Vietnam , Thailand etc why not we step in? This will create job to say the least.
I really do not understand why people in SL think we have the skillets to develop when we failed over and over for 2500 years
But this is unnecessary. SL really don’t have a choice with mounting debts we have. This is not a case of privatisation its a matter of looming DEFAULT BY SL GOV ( means SL people) .
China is looking to relocate due to cost factor so instead of giving to Vietnam , Thailand etc why not we step in? This will create job to say the least.
I really do not understand why people in SL think we have the skillets to develop when we failed over and over for 2500 years
මහින්ද CMPort(China Merchants Port Holdings) එකට වරායවල් දුන්නහම හොඳායි
China Merchants sign two agreements to develop Phase 2 of Hambantota Port Development Project
Following discussions between the Chinese President Xi Jinping, and President Mahinda Rajapaksa on 16 September 2014, China Merchants (Holdings) International Co., Ltd. (CMHI) and the government of Sri Lanka has signed two agreements in relation to the development of Phase II of the Hambantota Port Development Project.
An agreement on key terms in relation to the Supply, Operate and Transfer (SOT) of Phase II of the Hambantota Container Port Project was signed by President of CMHI Li Jianhong and the President of China Communications Construction Company Ltd. (CCCC) Chen Fenjian with the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority Dr. Priyath Bandu Wickrama.
An agreement on the development of an international maritime center in Sri Lanka was executed by the Assistant General Manager of China Merchants Group Limited and the Managing Director of CMHI Hu Jianhua and Secretary of the Ministry of Highways, Ports and Shipping of Sri Lanka R.W.R. Pemasiri.
The Phase II of Hambantota Port has a total project cost of approximately US$ 601 million, to be equipped with 4 container berths (comprising two 100k-dwt berths and two 10k-dwt berths) on a 1,298m-shoreline, and with an annual design capacity of 2 million TEUs.
The parties involved will explore the feasibility of a series of investment projects surrounding the set-up of an international shipping center in Sri Lanka, balancing long-term development goals and near term benefits of Sri Lanka, with preparatory work of two preliminary projects initiating in the near future, including, firstly, the core functional area of the international shipping center with a proposed size of 60 hectares, to offer integrated bonded logistics operations and commercial services, such as bonded warehousing, export processing, entrepot trade, e-commerce distribution and exhibition services; and, secondly, an agglomeration of high-end maritime related services, with a proposed size of 20 hectares, providing a concentration of complimentary facilities and infrastructures supplementary to the international shipping center.(Priu/Kh)
- http://www.news.lk/news/business/it...hase-2-of-hambantota-port-development-project
The government’s sale of several acres of land currently occupied by the Defence Ministry and Army Headquarters across the road from the Galle Face Green to a foreign hotel venture has not aroused much debate in either media or Opposition circles, as might have been expected.
The Hong Kong based Shangri La leisure group has bought 10 acres of the prime seafront property for $125 million for the purpose of constructing a luxury hotel. It appears that another foreign hotel project is also envisaged in this location. An Information Department statement in January said the “Ministry of Defence, Office of the Chief of Defence Staff and Army Headquarters along with Headquarters of other Armed Forces with residential facilities” would be relocating to Battaramulla to make way for “two giant foreign projects that will bring FDI of USD 1000 million.” It is not clear whether the sale includes the Air Force Headquarters facing Sir Chittampalam Gardiner Mawatha.
Deputy Economic Development Minister Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena has said the deal was done outside of tender procedures. When UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake raised a question in Parliament in this regard on Tuesday, Minister Yapa defended the transaction arguing that the company in question was a “reputable” one and that the land, sold at $12.5 million per acre, was given at “three times the value” and therefore there was no cause for complaint.
Sunday February 13, 2011
- http://www.sundaytimes.lk/110213/Columns/Lasandak.html
Deputy Economic Development Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardane told the Business Times that Shangri-La has paid US$ 75 million initially to buy six acres of land and US$ 50 million thereafter, for another four acres totalling US$125 for 10 acres, in Colombo. “The transfer of ownership of this land followed state legislation and was only valued and conducted after obtaining approval from the cabinet of ministers and the Government Valuer’s future commercial valuation,” he said.
Sunday October 30, 2011
- http://www.sundaytimes.lk/111030/BusinessTimes/bt01.html
Image source: Google Earth Historical Imagery feature
රටේ වැදගත් "ආරක්ෂක මර්මස්ථාන" (බයි බාසාවෙන්) පිටරටවලට බද්දට නෙමෙයි සින්නකරම විකුණන කොට දැන් හම්බන්තොට, මොනරාගල මුඩු බිම් industrial zone එකක් දාන්න බද්දට දෙන්න හදනකොට උඩපනින බය්යෝ කොහෙද බන් හිටියේ ?
AGREE! Unfortunately most of the ppl here do not understand this simple fact, If we went on the same track, we will have to suffer the same shitty consequences that Greece had to face, Why not we at least learn from the recent lesson.
We only have completed Phase 1 of the Hamba port and we do not even have money to purchase cranes that is require to full-fill the Phase 2 needs. which is closer to 500 mil.
And yet we have to start paying back the debts we took from next year on wards, if i am not mistaken.
Either we have to take more and more debts to facilitate the port in order to start operations and to continue with phase 3 and 4? since we are not good with loans from western we have to take it at the Commercial rates, again from CHINA ? or increase our GDP - never think so (Even we try to produce more dont think it will happen immediately - Corruption, inefficiencies, etc. etc.)
We are trying to get more than a billion loan at concession rates from WB but we have to prove our worthiness by increasing government income, (coz it simply proves that we can pay back the debts we take) So that the government used all its available options towards that, Including VAT. Yet ppl dont like. etc etc. These are ECONOMICAL decisions, Though our love towards country should not blindfold us, But yet LOVE is blind. So you all patriots can argue otherwise. may be with some filthy words ha haha.
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