Plans afoot to restart production in KKS cement factory

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 23 July 2008, 10:38 GMT]
Sri Lanka Cement Corporation’s newly appointed Chairman S. J. Paranagama said that steps are being taken to recommence cement production in Kaangkeasanththu’rai (KKS) Lanka Cement factory, during a press meet held Tuesday for Jaffna media in Jaffna. He expressed hope that certain sections of the factory will be able to function within two months, sources in Jaffna said.

Kaangkeasanththurai Lanka Cement factory ceased functioning since 1990 due to Sri Lanka Army (SLA) offensives in Jaffna peninsula.

Although most of the buildings and machinery of the KKS cement factory located in the SLA High Security Zone (HSZ) are still usable, several important pieces of equipment in the factory are in a state of disrepair after 18 years of inactivity, and engineers with technical help from India and Japan are planning to replace the aging and non-functional equipment to modernize the plant.

Engineering firms from India and Japan will be working under the management of Sri Lanka Cement Corporation, and joint ventures are being considered by the Corporation, the Chairman said.

The price of cement in Jaffna peninsula is currently three times the price in rest of Sri Lanka.

Recommencing cement production will help to meet the requirement of Jaffna peninsula while opening job opportunities to youths in the peninsula, the Chairman told the media.

Though SLA has agreed to the recommencing of production in KKS cement factory, smooth functioning of the factory remains a question mark due to the sensitive location of the plant within the High Security Zone (HSZ)

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