No decision to suspend power cuts during A/L, says CEB as HRCSL decides to go to Court

COLOMBO (News 1st) - The Ceylon Electricity Board said that it has not yet reached a decision to suspend power cuts during the period of the G. C. E. Advanced Level examination.

A CEB spokesperson said that a high cost is incurred in generating electricity due to arid weather conditions experienced over the country.

However, the spokesperson said that the CEB is considering options to deliver a continuous supply of electricity.

The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka says it will elaborate facts to the Supreme Court against officials including the Chairman of the Ceylon Electricity Board and the Secretary to the Ministry of Power and Energy for breaching an agreement by suspending the supply of power. 

A senior official attached to the Commissions says complaints were received from multiple areas of the island regarding power outages on Thursday (26), going against the agreements reached to provide a continuous supply of power. 

Speaking further, the HRCSL official said it has been observed that the CEB and the Ministry of Power and Energy are operating arbitrarily, going against the laws of the land. 

According to the spokesman, the United Nations Human Rights Council will also be notified in this regard. 

Following a discussion held at the HRCSL earlier this week, the CEB agreed to provide a continuous supply of electricity during the period of the G.C.E. A/L examinations. 

Meanwhile, the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka directing a letter to the Chairman of the HRCSL says that it will not approve power outages occurring during the period between the 26th of January and 17th of February. 

It notes, according to the settlement issued as a directive by the Human Rights Commission, the CEB has been instructed to maintain a continuous supply of electricity during this period.

The Human Rights Commission emphasized that if the CEB does not act according to the directive, the HRCSL has the ability to act according to Section 21 of the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission Act No. 21 of 1996. 

Despite these developments, power outages were experienced in many parts of the island on Thursday (26) night.

Commissioner of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka Dr. M.H. Nimal Karunasiri said that an agreement was reached to ensure that no power outages will take place even after the Advanced Level examination. 

He said that legal action will be instituted against the parties that violated this documented agreement.

"The Chairman and Officials of the Public Utilities Commission and the CEB agreed that there will be no 2-hour power outages during the period of the Advanced Level Examination. This does not only apply to the period when the examination is taking place, but for the entire duration of the examination. They agreed there will be no power outage so that the students can study for the examination," he elaborated.

He said that since this directive was violated, the Human Rights Commission can report the matter to the Supreme Court on the basis that a directive was disregarded. 

"There is no use in having a Human Rights Commission, if these directives cannot be respected," he noted.