Sri Lanka’s Port City project to go ahead; China may get the land: Minister

Feb 06, 2015 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Port City project would go ahead as the appointed committee to review the project had now found that an Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) had been conducted on the reclamation, Cabinet Spokesman Rajitha Senaratne said. Senarathne said the EIA had been conducted by Sri Lanka's Moratuwa University.

Sri Lanka has signed 1.4 billion US dollar deal with a Chinese State firm to reclaim sea to build a new city in the Island.

The Port City is to be constructed between the Southern edge of the new Colombo South Port and the Fort Lighthouse. The total area of sea to be reclaimed is 252 hectares. There will be a 3.25km long breakwater and a large internal artificial canal in the city.

Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe earlier quoted saying that the deal has to be reviewed again to give a nod to the Chinese Port.

Wickremesinghe had told the Cabinet that the project would go ahead after discussions with the Chinese regarding the amount of free hold land to be given to the firm.

However, ministers of the new government had earlier made comments saying that the port city project which would change the coastline of the Indian Ocean Island would affect to the sovereignty of the country and will