Five-member committee to inquire into COVID-19 spread at Sapugaskanda Refinery

A five-member committee has been appointed by Minister of Energy Udaya Gammanpila to look into the incident of 474 COVID-19 infections being reported from the Sapugaskanda Oil Refinery.

The Committee will be chaired by Chandrika Athugala, Assistant Secretary to the Ministry of Energy.

Adviser to the Minister of Energy Lalith Wasantha, Managing Director of Ceylon Petroleum Corporation Buddhika Madihewa, Senior Assistant Secretary to Ministry of Energy Nayana Senaratne, and Medical Officer of Petroleum Storage Terminals Company Roshini Rusiriwardena make up the remaining members of the Committee.

The Media Secretary of Minister Gammanpila issuing a press release stated that maintenance operations of the refinery, which is carried out every 3 years, are being carried out these days.

Therefore, such numbers of COVID-19 infections are reported in a situation where extra employees are engaged in the activities at the refinery on a daily basis, the press release read.

The appointed committee’s role is to look into whether any management misconduct, failure to properly implement health safety guidelines, or any other factor has contributed to the spread of the virus.

The committee is to submit a report to the Minister of Energy within a period of 10 days.