Vanni civilians held in Jaffna schools lack electricity

[TamilNet, Monday, 27 April 2009, 17:57 GMT]
Attempts made by Sri Lanka Electricity Board (SLEB) in Jaffna peninsula to supply 24 hours electricity supply to the schools where civilians from Vanni are brought by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and detained have failed due to the inability of the Chinese firm, ‘Northern Power’, which had entered into a contract with the Sri Lanka government to supply electricity to the entire peninsula for 24 hours to fulfill its obligation, sources in Jaffna said.

The schools in Thenmaraadchi and Vadamaraadchi where civilians brought from Vanni are being detained by SLA do not have the basic facilities to meet the needs of the inmates.

An hour power cut is imposed daily in the peninsula between 1:30 a.m and 2:30 a.m.

Northern Power, despite its agreement made with the government, could not supply the total 36mw need of Jaffna peninsula even after 15 months of entering into the contract.

It produces only 5mw electricity while ‘Agrico’ and ‘Cool Air’, the two private firms which had been generating electricity, supply only 15mw electricity jointly.

Northern Power, which had said that it would supply the entire electricity need of the peninsula before 30 March has been forced to postpone the date to 30 June, the sources said.

SLEB sources in Jaffna said that action will be taken to terminate the Chinese firm’s contract if it again fails to keep its promise.