08/05/2020 – Case on Mini Hydro PowerProjects SC/FR/57/17

CEJ filed this fundamental case in Supreme Court on 13^th October 2017 nominating seventeen government parties as the Respondents. Petitioners state that the Mini-Hydro Power Plant is constructed by building a weir across a small stream and using the hydropower harnessed as such for generation of electricity.

As a result of a court order, a meeting was conducted by the secretary, Ministry of Mahaweli Development and Environment on 28th of March 2018 with all relevant stakeholders and agreed to make recommendations to the court. Petitioner and the Sustainable Energy Authority attended the meeting regarding the Environmental Impact in many hydro projects and to express their views and submit recommendations to mitigate the impact.

The matter was taken up 08^th of August 2019 and it was pointed out that the intervened parties were not served the comments on settlements yet. Therefore, as the court advised, Mr. Ali Shabry PC has then handed over a document which consists of their comments. But Mr. Saliya Peiris PC’s copy is yet to be received. 

Moreover, the court has granted one month time period to consider the comments and replies of the intervened parties. The court is supposed to be considered whether the parties have agreed for a settlement in the next hearing.(END)