• Right to Information Act required to ascertain govt’s growth rate claims

Mihin Air, which had suffered total losses of Rs.13 billion between 2007 and 2010, should be closed down immediately without burdening the treasury and masses any further, UNP MP Harsha de Silva said yesterday.

He told a news conference in Colombo that among the many white elephants was Mihin Air, which served no purpose since the country already had a national airline and it was also in a severe financial mess.

The Norachcholai coal power plant has again broken down indefinitely since last Friday and authorities are unable to say when it would be able to generate power to the national grid.

According to Power and Energy Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka if the 300MW plant doesn’t contribute to the grid, it costs the Ceylon Electricity Board, a staggering Rs. 80 million per day to get electricity from independent sources.

Frequent technical problems occurring at the 300MW Norachcholai coal power plant is due to conspiracies by some foreigners allege Ceylon Electricity Board Technological Engineers’ Union, Senior Engineer Assistant U. R. K. Senaratne.

"I take the responsibility that mishaps at Norachcholai are due to Chinese intervention," Senarathne told The Island. The Chinese company was keen to continue with maintenance and operations, he said. Recent Cabinet approval for a contract for maintenance and operations to the Chinese firm was the best evidence, he said.

One Hundred and forty two families of Gajabapura and Monarawewa, in the Weli Oya AGA’s division, have returned to their original places and settled in temporary shelters. These people had left their villages in 1999 at the height of terrorist activities. They have now returned to their villages after 12 years.

These families still undergo many difficulties. Infrastructure of the area has been destroyed during the terror era. The schools had been abandoned and allowed to fall into decay. Almost all village roads are dilapidated. There is no drinking water available. The army commander stationed at Weli Oya and Mahaweli resident Manager provide most of the requirements to a certain extent.

A giant Emirates A380 aircraft was yesterday forced to make an unscheduled stop at the Bandaranaike International Airport for refuelling.

The Airbus A380, the largest passenger aircraft in the world, with 517 passengers aboard, remained for over one hour until the fuelling was over, top airport sources told The Island last night.

Emirates sources claimed that it was a scheduled flight, though there was panic in travel and aviation circles that it was an emergency landing. Asked whether the Dubai bound flight from Australia was opting for Colombo as a fuelling destination, he said that  there was nothing specified at present by the Emirates management in Dubai, but he did not rule out the possibility of the option being pursed at a future date.