Courtesy  Adaderana

The Supreme Court has issued an Interim Relief Order temporarily suspending the Gazette notification issued by President Maithripala Sirisena cancelling the long term lease on an extent of land for the proposed Sampur Heavy Industry Zone in Trincomalee, which is considered the largest investment project in Sri Lanka.

The Interim Order was issued by a three-member bench comprising Justices Rohini Marasinghe, Buwenaka Aluvihare and Upali Abeyratne after the Supreme Court considering a petition filed by Sri Lanka Gateway Industries – the project company of this reportedly USD 04 billion project.

The land for this proposed project in Trincomalee was vested with the Sri Lanka Board of Investment by the former government and in turn the BOI vested the land with the project company on a long term lease.

In January 2013, the former government granted permission to the company for this project under the Strategic Development Projects Act without a debate in Parliament.

The vesting of this land with the project company was cancelled by President Maithripala Sirisena through a Gazette notification on 07 May 2015.

The project company, Sri Lanka Gateway Industries petitioned the Supreme Court praying for interim relief to temporarily stop the implementation of the Gazette notification.

This Interim Relief Order has been issues till the petition is taken up on 21 May 2015.

The following are details from the Sri Lanka Gateway Industries (Private) Limited – (SLGI) website:

Sri Lanka Gateway Industries (Private) Limited – (SLGI) was established in June 2010 to develop an Industrial Zone with necessary physical and social infrastructure, in a land extent of 36 sq.kms (9000 Acres), in Sampur in the Trincomalee District in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka. This location was chosen after very careful scrutiny because the industries targeted for the proposed Industrial Zone require direct access to a dedicated and a deep water jetty to cater to Cape–Size vessels. The project location also has a vast stretch of un-inhabited land and is considered most suitable for this purpose.

Phase One of the project will comprise a Deep Water Jetty, Coal Stock Piling Yard for blending and trans-shipment, Power Plant and a Coke Plant. This will be within the 808 acres of the land already allocated and leased to SLGI by the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) through the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka. The total investment in Phase One will be US $ 700 million.

In Phase Two and Three, Heavy Industries like Steel Plant, Iron Ore Palletizing Plant, Manufacturing Plant and Machinery, Vehicles Manufacturing/Assembling Yard and some other Mega Industries will be developed. The total land area available for Phase Two and Three is in excess of 7500 Acres.

SLGI will also work with developers to establish complementary and compatible industries within the zone. SLGI will provide the necessary physical and social infrastructure including port facilities, education and health facilities, and modern settlements with leisure and recreation facilities.