By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana  

The first COPE report of the first sessions of the present Parliament which was tabled in the House has revealed that there has been serious weaknesses in the process of evaluating bids by the Lanka Coal Company Ltd., for purchasing coal, causing huge losses while procurements have not been signed by the Cabinet evaluation committee. 

These irregularities have taken place between the years 2006 to 2016 as per the report.  

The report had also questioned about a legality of the documents of ordering coal and had called for the advice of the Attorney General in it.  

It has also revealed that the three units of Lakvijaya Power Plant generate 900 tons of flying ashes in the process of burning of coal. 658,051 tons of flying ashes are deposited at the ash plant. The report states that the Environment Authority of the North Western Province acts as the sole authority to regulate the technical activities without any regard to the functioning of the Central Environment Authority, despite that the subject of environment comes under the combined list according to the 13th Amendment. COPE has also questioned the postponing of the establishment of the Environment Consultative Council of the Provincial Environmental Authority.  In what seems to be a staggering disclosure, the COPE report had revealed that 41 industries located near the Kelani River have been functioning without environmental protection licenses, which include 17 high risk ones. It has also been revealed that environmental protection licenses have not been provided for the Seethawaka Export processing zone for eight years. 

• 41 industries located near Kelani River have been functioning  without environmental protection licenses, including 17 high risk  ones