Owners allow CEB to lay transmission lines through private land, forgo compensation

Issues pertaining to the laying of power cables through a private estate in Siripagama, Ratnapura to connect the Southern Province to the main transmission line of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) have been resolved, CEB reported.

Accordingly, the Artigala family, owners of the tea estate in question, has given their consent without claiming any compensation from CEB or the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL), CEB General Manager Rohan Seneviratne revealed.

Thus, the CEB will be able to complete the necessary work on the electricity transmission route from Polpitiya, Laxapana to Hambantota within six days Seneviratne said.

The family has granted permission for the move during the conciliation process which took place today (11 Aug) pursuant to the regulations published by the PUCSL in the Gazette Extraordinary dated 25 January 2015, under Section 53 of the Electricity Act No. 20 of 2009.

The matter was referred to the PUCSL on 02 August and was resolved within eight days.

Speaking to the media afterward, Seneviratne commended the Artigala family, saying “Members of the Artigala family approved this move on behalf of the government and the population in the South, without asking for any compensation. This is something we should all value because the transmission line is going through their private estate.”

The issue had originated after the land owners initially demanded a compensation of Rs. 48 million following a private estimate and then Rs. 9.6 million pursuant to Asian Development Bank (ADB) criteria, while the CEB had agreed to pay Rs. 1.6 million in compensation for the loss of land to lay a 630-meter power cable which would allow the Southern Province to be connected to CEB’s main transmission line.