Courtesy Hiru News

Hambantota District Member of Parliament D. V. Chanaka stated in Parliament today (20) that the loss caused to the country by the substandard coal tender amounts to Rs. 100 billion.

The MP made these remarks while joining the adjournment debate currently being held in Parliament regarding the importation of low-quality coal. He pointed out that although the relevant Minister had ample provisions within the agreement to cancel the tender, the failure to do so remains a serious concern.

During his speech, the MP further stated: “The agreement specifies that if two coal ships fail to arrive, the contract stands cancelled. Only one ship arrived in December, followed by four in January. So far in February, only four ships have arrived, totaling eight ships to date. According to the schedule, 15 ships should have arrived. Consequently, the delay in these vessels alone has resulted in a loss of Rs. 31 billion.”

The MP highlighted that the loss due to this low-quality coal tender has already reached Rs. 75 billion and is projected to rise to Rs. 100 billion. He noted that this lost revenue could have been used to provide Rs. 40 for every kilogram of paddy to every farmer in the country, establish four smart classrooms in every school, or carpet 7,500 kilometers of roads across the entire nation.