Environmental Justice Delayed: Uncertainty, Miscommunication Plaguing X-Press Pearl Recovery

COLOMBO (News 1st); The compensation process for victims of the X-Press Pearl disaster remains mired in uncertainty, with the Parliamentary Sectoral Oversight Committee on Environment highlighting a lack of coordination between key agencies and raising concerns about the progress of damage assessment.

During a recent meeting chaired by MP Ajith Mannapperuma, committee members questioned officials from the Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) about the status of compensation and the role of the expert committee appointed to assess environmental damage. 

MEPA officials acknowledged delays in payments to the committee for research activities and admitted there are currently no active members on the committee due to uncertainty about its future.

Further complicating matters, MEPA officials reported receiving conflicting information from the Attorney General's Department and the Ministry of Justice regarding the formation of a new international expert committee. This lack of clarity and communication gaps between critical agencies were flagged as major obstacles to progress.

Adding to the confusion, Prof. Ajith De Alwis, co-chair of the MEPA-appointed committee, disclosed that his and two other members' educational qualifications had been questioned by the Bribery Commission, casting further doubt on the committee's status and its ability to move forward.

Compounding the challenges, the committee emphasized the global significance of the X-Press Pearl incident as the largest microplastics-related marine disaster, highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive research and effective damage assessment.

In response to these concerns, the committee chair directed the Attorney General's Department, the Ministry of Fisheries, MEPA, and the expert committee members to collaborate on a joint action plan and submit a comprehensive report outlining the way forward. 

Additionally, the committee decided to seek Cabinet approval for further research by the expert committee, recognizing the crucial need to study the environmental impact of this unprecedented event.