CEB Engineers threaten strike demanding Coal Power

COLOMBO (News 1^st) - The CEB Engineers Union have threatened to intensify their trade union action in protest over the failure to implement their Long-term power generation plan. A final decision in this regard is to be made next week. President of the CEB Engineers Union, Saumya Kumarawadu stated that after the Norochcholai plant was added to the central grid, the country has not received a power plant that could resolve the power crisis in the country. According to Kumaraduwa, they have been engaged in a struggle for the last 3 to 4 years, demanding that their plans for a solution be approved and their executive committee will convene next Tuesday and decide on their future course of action. He stated that the engineers of the CEB have not engaged in a strike action since 1996 and even then the strike was for a national issue. The public utility commission an independent commission tasked with regulating public utilities had requested the CEB to amend the generation expansion plan taking into consideration environmental and cost concerns with regard to coal power plants. Director (Tariff & Economic Affairs) of PUCSL, Kanchana Siriwardena stated that it is under section 43 of the Electricity act, that they are entrusted with the authority to approve the power generation plans of the CEB. He said accordingly it is a plan that has a minimum cost that can be approved and the plan changes as per the data included in it. It was stated that the CEB has quoted 69 dollars per tonne of coal but in the market, it is about 81 dollars and at the same time the CEB has estimated about 10 dollars for natural gas but in the market, it is 8.4 dollars. There have been numerous substantiated reports of the environmental damage caused by thermal power plants including the Norochcholai coal power plant. The Sunday Times newspaper quoting the Coalition Against Coal, reported that the Norochcholai plant does not have a valid ‘scheduled waste management licence’ as required by law for a facility that generates hazardous matter. When News 1^st inquired into reports of faults in the machinery used to dispose of toxic smoke from the power plant, authorities at Norochcholar assured us that repairs had been carried out. Meanwhile, the Water Supply Joint Trade Union Alliance says the union action that was initiated by the Water Board employees with regard to salary anomalies is continuing. The Postal and Telecommunication Officers' Union says that they will engage in a trade union action from midnight tonight, citing several demands including the failure to appoint permanent post-masters. Minister of Post and Muslim Religious Affairs, A. H. M Haleem stated that he had discussions last Friday and they came to a decision to resolve this issue within two weeks. He added that there are over 40 trade unions in the postal service and therefore if one trade union goes on a strike they can't make a big impact.