Courtesy The Daily Mirror

Colombo, September 1 (Daily Mirror) – The Supreme Court today granted leave to proceed with a Fundamental Rights petition filed by the Centre for Environmental Justice against former President Ranil Wickremesinghe and several others. 

The petition challenges the sale of Eppawala phosphate by Lanka Phosphate Limited to three companies at prices allegedly far below the world market rate, which is said to have caused losses to the government.

The petitioners state that on the 6th of July 2023, Lanka Phosphate Limited communicated via letter addressed to the Additional Secretary (Primary Industries), Ministry of Industries, their decision to sell 10,000 metric tons of ERP (Eppawala Rock Phosphate) to specific companies, as requested by those companies. Lanka Phosphate Limited further recommended the issuance of export licenses for the same quantity, without any legal authority to do so. 

Additionally, the letter requested coordination with the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau (GSMB) to issue the necessary permits. The companies for which this arrangement was proposed are: D.M Traders, Disaru International Engineering Company and Ichiban (Pvt) Limited.

The petitioners have cited the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau, former President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Cabinet Ministers of former government and several others as respondents.