News

Sri Lanka has launched the first project under a national programme designed to add 300 megawatts (MW) of solar power to the country’s electricity grid.

The project was inaugurated in Veyangoda on September 13 under the patronage of Minister of Ports, Civil Aviation and Energy Anura Karunathilaka.

With an installed capacity of 3MW, the Veyangoda facility is the first in a series of ground-mounted solar power projects planned across the country as part of the wider 300MW programme.

The initiative is aimed at increasing the contribution of renewable energy to Sri Lanka’s power supply while reducing the country’s reliance on imported fossil fuels. The Government is also encouraging private-sector involvement in selected areas to speed up the development of renewable energy infrastructure.

Sri Lanka has set a target of obtaining 70% of its energy requirements from renewable sources by 2030, while aiming to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040. The country has also committed, in line with the principles of COP26, not to develop new coal-fired power plants.

Alongside the expansion of renewable generation, authorities are working to strengthen the national electricity grid to accommodate increasing amounts of clean energy.

The Veyangoda project has an AC capacity of 3MW and is equipped with 640-watt bifacial solar panels. The panels are designed to generate electricity from both their front and rear surfaces, improving their energy-generation potential.

The facility is expected to supply approximately 6.35 million kilowatt-hours of electricity to the national grid each year.

It is also projected to help reduce annual carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 4,339.53 metric tons, supporting Sri Lanka’s broader efforts to expand clean energy and reduce its environmental impact.

Sri Lanka Police have arrested a 22-year-old man in connection with the murder of an individual who was allegedly attacked with a sharp weapon in front of a house in the Aluketiyawa area of Mahiyanganaya.

The incident occurred on September 10, with officers of the Mahiyanganaya Police Station subsequently launching a special investigation to identify and apprehend the suspect.

Police said the suspect was arrested last night (10) following the investigation.

The arrested individual is a resident of the Mapakadawewa area, police said.

Mahiyanganaya Police are continuing investigations into the incident.

Blocks 1 and 2 of Yala National Park have been temporarily closed to visitors from today (14) as authorities respond to increasingly severe dry weather and its impact on wildlife.

According to the Department of Wildlife Conservation and Forest Conservation, the closure will remain in place for one month, until October 15, 2026.

Yala National Park is home to a diverse range of wildlife, including 44 mammal species, 215 bird species, 47 reptile species and 21 fish species.

The park typically experiences its busiest tourist period between August and March. However, the current season has been significantly affected by El Niño conditions, with high temperatures and prolonged dry weather creating difficult conditions for both wildlife and visitors.

Several water sources inside the park have already dried up, leaving animals facing a serious shortage of drinking water. The lack of rainfall has also caused vegetation and grasslands to dry out, reducing the availability of natural food.

Wildlife officers are undertaking measures to provide animals with the water they need during the drought. Water drawn from four locations along the Menik Ganga using solar-powered pumps is being transported through underground pipelines to ponds within the park.

Authorities are also using water bowsers to deliver approximately 200,000 litres of water each day to fill both artificial and natural ponds.

The temporary closure of Blocks 1 and 2 is intended to reduce human disturbances while animals move around the park in search of increasingly scarce food and water.

The Wildlife Department said the measure was taken primarily to safeguard animals and reduce pressure on wildlife during the ongoing dry conditions.

The body of an unidentified man has been recovered from the Kelani River in the Jalthara area, which falls under the Hanwella Police Division.

According to police, the body was recovered yesterday evening (11) after the Hanwella Police Station received information regarding the incident.

The identity of the deceased has not yet been determined.

A magistrate’s inquiry is scheduled to be held in connection with the recovery of the body.

Hanwella Police are conducting further investigations into the incident.

Veteran Sri Lankan artist, Virindu vocalist and renowned dance instructor Daya Nellampitiya has passed away at the age of 91.

According to family sources, she died at her residence in Kalubowila.

Nellampitiya was a respected dance instructor who taught at several leading schools across Sri Lanka over the course of her career. She was particularly recognised for her dedication to teaching and preserving the country’s Kandyan dance tradition, having introduced generations of children to the art form.

She was also the wife of veteran Virindu artist Sena Fonseka and served as the first teacher of several artists who later became prominent figures in Sri Lanka’s arts sector.

Throughout her career, Nellampitiya made a significant contribution to safeguarding and promoting Sri Lanka’s traditional folk arts, folk music and dance. Her commitment to passing these cultural traditions to younger generations earned her widespread respect within the country’s artistic community.

Her work in nurturing young performers and preserving traditional artistic practices leaves a lasting legacy in Sri Lanka’s cultural heritage.

According to family sources, her final rites are scheduled to be held tomorrow (15).

Ven. Ampitiye Sumanarathana Thero was granted bail by the Batticaloa Magistrate’s Court today (11), following his arrest by Batticaloa Police.

The court ordered his release on two personal bail bonds of Rs. 200,000 each.

He was taken into custody on September 7 over an alleged incident involving the obstruction of duties carried out by officials at the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau office in Batticaloa.

The court order allows the Buddhist monk to remain on bail while proceedings relating to the incident continue.

Sri Lankan political activist Maheel Bandara Dehideniya addressed the Asia Pacific Civil Society Conference in Jinan, China, pitching the island nation as a prospective regional hub for wellness tourism and knowledge exchange under the Belt and Road Initiative.

The three-day international forum, which ran from 1 September to 3 September, gathered approximately 300 delegates representing 40 countries across global research institutes, universities, United Nations agencies, and non governmental development organisations.

High level oversight for the event was led by Xiao Jie, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People’s Congress and President of the China NGO Network for International Exchanges, alongside Liu Haixing, Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee.

Senior parliamentary figures from Thailand, Spain, and Vanuatu also attended the sessions alongside Lu Kang, Vice Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee.

Representing Sri Lanka on an international panel, Dehideniya spoke during a specialised thematic session focused on promoting practical cooperation and people to people connectivity between China and partner nations through smart health and wellness livelihood initiatives.

He emphasised Sri Lanka's strategic potential within the Belt and Road Initiative framework, detailing how targeted infrastructure and health sector investments could transform the country into a primary destination for regional wellness tourism.

His presentation outlined the economic and social advantages of leveraging international partnerships to build cross border expertise and establish robust medical exchange programs across Asia.

Sri Lanka will not seek an increase in electricity tariffs for the upcoming quarter, Energy Minister Anura Karunathilaka told Parliament today (11).

The Minister attributed the decision partly to recent rainfall levels, which exceeded expectations and helped reduce the pressure on electricity generation costs.

He said the improved availability of water resources had allowed authorities to manage generation expenses to some extent, making a tariff increase unnecessary at this stage.

Minister Karunathilaka also assured Parliament that arrangements have been made to maintain an uninterrupted electricity supply during the first three months of next year.

He said the Ministry of Energy has already implemented the measures required to support continuous power generation and supply during that period.

The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) has accused Sri Lanka Customs of operating an organised extortion scheme that targets importers.

Speaking in parliament, SJB MP Mujibur Rahman said that unchecked officer harassment was driving micro, small, and medium enterprises out of trade while simultaneously threatening jobs, household incomes, and national tax revenue.

He questioned the silence of the ruling National People's Power (NPP) government on the issue, noting that steady declines in import activity coincided directly with sustained pressure on business operators.

The lawmaker highlighted structural flaws in penalty distribution, explaining that fifty per cent of collected fines fund officer rewards, twenty per cent enters the welfare pool, and only thirty per cent reaches the Treasury.

He revealed that while initial valuation units issue on-the-spot fines before releasing shipments, separate excise teams routinely conduct secondary raids on the same businesses to impose additional financial penalties.

He noted that importers face deliberate delays during questioning, with officers pressuring them to alter documentation under explicit threats of business closure.

He added that affected traders regularly avoid legal appeals out of fear that officials will subject their subsequent shipments to retaliatory delays.

He further criticised the promotion of a former Customs official to Additional Secretary despite previous presidential commission findings implicating the officer in the improper release of 320 uninspected containers.

These parliamentary allegations emerged while an International Monetary Fund delegation visited Colombo for the Seventh Review under the ongoing Extended Fund Facility programme.

Previous governance assessments by the multilateral lender highlighted deep-seated vulnerabilities across revenue agencies, citing persistent corruption, a lack of disciplinary enforcement, and delays in digital transformation.

The severe criticism coincides with record financial performance by Sri Lanka Customs, which reported revenues of Rs 2,557.535 billion in 2025 alongside collection of Rs. 1,852.5 billion during the first eight months of 2026.

The opposition maintains that urgent structural reforms remain essential to protect legitimate businesses and preserve economic stability.

Abdul Razak Mohomed Basik, the father of suspected major drug trafficker Shiran Basik, has been arrested by the Central Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) in connection with an investigation into a property valued at around Rs. 30 million.

Police said the arrest was made under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

The investigation reportedly concerns an apartment at a luxury residential complex in the Gampaha area. According to investigators, the apartment had allegedly been purchased by Shiran Basik but was registered under his father’s name.

Abdul Razak Mohomed Basik had been summoned to the CCIB today (11) to provide a statement regarding the property.

Following his appearance before investigators, he was taken into custody in connection with the ongoing inquiry.

The investigation comes after Shiran Basik, who is suspected of major involvement in drug trafficking, was recently brought back to Sri Lanka from Dubai.

The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) will launch a major national demonstration on 24 September to oppose the government's proposed 22nd Constitutional Amendment.

Speaking at a meeting of SJB local government members and electorate organisers from the Colombo District at the Opposition Leader’s Office, Premadasa said the current government was advancing the amendment to destroy democracy, undermine the independence of the judiciary, and corrupt the administration of justice and the rule of law.

The Opposition leader accused the government of misleading the electorate to secure a two-thirds parliamentary majority, asserting that holding 159 seats gives the government no authority to disregard the rights of 22 million Sri Lankans.

He warned that the proposed legislation aims to destroy democratic institutions, erode judicial independence, and clear the path for single-party rule.

The Opposition Leader that his party has already mounted its initial challenge to the measure and pledged to exhaust every constitutional channel to block its passage.

“The September 24 protest will be the biggest step yet in the campaign to defeat the amendment. It would mark the beginning of efforts to change the government,” Premadasa said, adding that such action was essential for the future of both the present generation and generations to come.

A multi-million rupee procurement process to modernise passenger bus halts and billboards in Colombo on a public-private partnership basis has stalled following serious administrative and legal irregularities.

Under tender ME/ME/ML/34/2025, the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) planned a four-year project to renovate 128 bus halts and 250 billboards while constructing 20 new bus halts and 20 billboards.

However, controversy surrounding the initial award forced municipal authorities to cancel the contract and call for fresh bids, sparking intense concern among procurement experts.

Price formula discrepancy and shift in position

Disagreements over project valuation surfaced shortly after municipal officials issued a Letter of Award on 7 July 2026 to a joint venture comprising Emerging Media (Pvt) Ltd and Hammer BTL (Pvt) Ltd.

Addendum 1 of the tender document mandated that bidders add ground rent to the minimum annual value set by the CMC.

The joint venture later claimed its Rs. 75,750,000 bid covered all mandatory fees, whereas CMC calculations placed the required total at Rs. 102,948,500.

Attempting to reduce agreed prices after winning an award violates standard bidding rules and undermines procurement discipline.

Is a bid bond of Rs. 500,000 sufficient?

Industry analysts have questioned the overall commercial design of the tender, particularly the low bid bond requirement. Despite the total project value exceeding Rs. 400 million, authorities set the bid bond at just Rs. 500,000.

Standard national procurement guidelines recommend setting bid securities at roughly one percent of estimated project value.

Observers note that setting an abnormally low security threshold may have discouraged established investors from competing while exposing the council to financial default.

Finance Committee intervention and legal contradictions

Controversy escalated on 13 August when the Standing Committee on Finance submitted its recommendations to the CMC.

The committee reported that the defaulting joint venture could bid in the upcoming re-tender because the firm had not undergone official blacklisting, despite failing to furnish a performance bond within seven days.

This recommendation directly contradicts Clause 10.1(2) of the municipal tender guidelines, which explicitly disqualifies any entity that directly or indirectly fails to execute a previous council contract.

Urban infrastructure and the future of PPP projects

Bus stops serve as critical daily infrastructure for thousands of commuters across the capital.

Mismanaged procurement procedures, commercial oversights, and questionable committee interventions have deprived the municipal council of vital revenue while delaying modern facilities for the public.

Failing to resolve these administrative flaws risks delaying future urban transport initiatives and harming ordinary passengers across Colombo.