Energy authority under min. of power and energy

After much commitment and dedication by Prof.mohan Munasinghe and the staff, an Act was passed in Parliament titled ‘Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority Act No. 35 of 2007 which states “This Act provides for the establishment of Sri Lanka sustainable Energy Authority, to develop Renewable Energy Resources, to declare energy development areas, to implement energy efficiency measures and conservation programs, to promote energy security, reliability and cost effectiveness in energy delivery and information, management, to repeal the Energy Conservation Act.2. of 1985 and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental there to” That is the overall responsibility of the act. The Energy Authority was to function by a Board. This is a brief history of the birth of Sri Lanka Energy Authority.

A cursory glance of the Act, the Board is to comprise of Secretaries to Ministries as members and the Secretary to the Ministry for Power and Energy, heads the list. It also mentions that the Minister concerned will appoint a chairman. Who can be that Minister with two ministers handling the same allied subject? It should be none other than the Minister for Power and Energy.

The government should be mindful of the importance of this Organization as it promotes Renewable Sources of energy which has received global attention concerning environmental pollution, Climate Change. While the global effort is to do away with fossil fuels the Ministry for Energy is enthusiastically pushing for exploration of oil in the Mannar Bay. What a conflict in interests. In the light of the provision in the Act, it is imperative that the subjects of Power and Energy should be listed under one Ministry. Sadly, these two subjects which should go hand in hand with one another has been dividedenergy under Ministry for Energy with a State Ministry for Port Services and Power under Ministry for Power, with a state minister for Renewable Sources of Energy. Personally, I expected this anomalous situation would be corrected with the much-publicized cabinet reshuffle and subjects and this subject of Energy would be assigned to the rightful Ministry for Power, but it turned out to be a ‘damp Squib’ where one State Minister was sacked and his subject assigned to the mother Ministry so was the other.

It is earnestly hoped, in view of the specific mention of Power and Energy under one Ministry, this anomalous situation be rectified and the subject of Energy rightfully placed under the Ministry for Power.

G.A.D.SIRIMAL BORALESGAMUWA.