Former Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka said he had lodged a complaint with the Bribery Commission on February 18 over alleged irregularities in coal procurement, despite yesterday’s remarks by the President on the matter.
In a Facebook post, Ranawaka said that the President appears to be ill-informed on the matter.
Referring to a 2022 procurement process, Ranawaka cited Auditor General recommendations stating that procurement guidelines should not be changed arbitrarily. He said failure to follow these guidelines had led to the import of substandard coal.
Ranawaka claimed that losses from the first four coal shipments exceeded compensation received from suppliers, amounting to approximately Rs. 1200 million. He further said the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) had indicated additional losses of around Rs. 800 million from recent shipments.
He alleged that the financial burden of these losses would be passed on to the public from April 1, 2026. According to Ranawaka, electricity bills could rise, starting around Rs. 1,900, which he said would place pressure on lower-income households. (Newswire)