The Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) report submitted by Trincomalee Power Company Ltd. (TPCL) pertaining to the 500 MW coal power project in Sampur has been approved by the Central Environment Authority (CEA). Secretary of Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) Dr. Suren Batagoda said, Tender will be call for construction of the coal power plant would kick start in April 2016. Director General of CEA K. H. Muthukudaarachchi informed Ceylon Today, that the conditional EIA report would be released to media after 5 January.

"The board of directors of CEA approved the EIA report of the Sampur coal power plant under strict conditions. TPCL has agreed to the conditions. We shall meet on 5 January to draft the conditions and the EIA report would be publicized after that," said the Director General of CEA.

The MoU for the first 500 MW plant of Sampur coal power project was signed in 2006 between the Government of Sri Lanka, CEB and National Thermal Power Corporation of India. The Power Purchase Agreement, Implementation Agreement, BOI Agreement, Land Lease Agreement and Coal Supply Agreement were signed on 7 October 2013 by relevant parties including the Government of Sri Lanka, CEB and TPCL. The project was expected to be commissioned in July 2016. CEA rejected the EIA report submitted by TPCL several times delaying the start of construction of the Sampur coal power project.

While refuting claims by former President Ranil Wickremesinghe that his government had allocated funds required to increase public sector salaries, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said that no such funds had been allocated.

A Fundamental Rights petition has been filed before the Supreme Court seeking an order preventing Ranjan Ramanayake from contesting the parliamentary election scheduled for November 14.

Claiming that Sri Lanka has come a long way in terms of undertaking reforms which have led to some hard won gains, the International Monetary Fund (IMF)said they could move fast towards the third review which will come up soon.

The Election Commission has decided to mark the voters' index fingers for this year's general elections, Commissioner General Saman Ratnayake announced. He said the elections are scheduled for November 14, 2024.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake is set to hold a series of meetings with the High Commissioners of South Africa and New Zealand, along with the Ambassadors of Iran and Myanmar, as well as a delegation from the European Union today (25) at the Presidential Secretariat.

Three suspects have been arrested in connection with the security threats to Israeli nationals in the Arugam Bay area, Public Security Minister Vijitha Herath said.

Sri Lanka should get its foreign policy right in the wake of the escalating Middle East crisis, Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Mujibur Rahman said today.

The Canadian government has issued a travel advisory urging travellers to exercise a high degree of caution in Sri Lanka due to demonstrations, the threat of terrorist attacks and crime, particularly in the Arugam Bay area.

Sri Lankan security forces have been alerted to a potential attack on Israelis in the Arugam Bay area by Indian intelligence agencies. According to intelligence information, the threat is believed to be targeted at foreign nationals.

Former Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara asked why the government did not take action to beef up security for foreign tourists in advance if it had received information on a possible threat on October 7, according to the statement made by Acting Chief of Police.