AG asked to give report on Port City

  Thursday, 19 March 2015

The Attorney General has been directed to submit a report to the Court of Appeal on April 29 regarding the government’s stance on the controversial Colombo Port City Project.

Justice Vijith Malalgoda has issued the directive when a writ petition filed by the Centre for Environmental Justice seeking a writ of certiorari to suspend the operation of all illegal agreements between Chinese Harbour Engineering Company and the Sri Lanka Ports Authority was taken up at the Court of Appeal.

The petitioner has stated that Chinese Harbour Engineering Company has started the project to reclaim 575 acres of sea area without carrying out any proper Environmental Impact Assessment study.

The work on the Port City Project had been suspended but the filling of reclaimed lands is continuing on the request of the Chinese contractor to prevent sea erosion during the monsoon, Ports, Shipping and Aviation Minister Arjuna Ranatunga said yesterday.