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COPE meeting uncovered irregularities in coal tender 

09 Oct 2020

By Maheesha Mudugamuwa The Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) uncovered irregularities in coal tenders called by Lanka Coal Company (Pvt.) Ltd. (LCC) that caused the Government a loss of around Rs. 1.1 billion. The losses were said to be incurred due to the non-specification of the quantity of coal required when calling for tenders for the purchase of raw material by the LCC, and it was also revealed that the company had purchased coal on a short-term basis without following the proper procurement process. This was revealed at the recent COPE meeting presided by its Chairman Prof. Charitha Herath held at the Parliamentary Complex. A group of senior officials of the LCC who had been summoned to the COPE told the Committee that they had expected to take advantage of the fluctuations in market prices by purchasing coal on a short-term basis. During the meeting, COPE Chairman Prof. Herath pointed out the need to handle tenders with the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers in accordance with the prescribed procurement process. The Committee, however, directed the Secretary to the Ministry to submit an immediate report on the procedure followed in handing over the barges and the reasons for its inability to maintain them, and instructed officials to submit all reports on these matters within one month. COPE members Ministers Mahinda Amaraweera, Mahindananda Aluthgamage, State Ministers Nalaka Godahewa, Sarath Weerasekara, Ajith Nivard Cabraal, MPs Patali Champika Ranawaka, Eran Wickramaratne, Jagath Pushpakumara, Premnath C. Dolawatta, S.M. Marikkar, and Rauff Hakeem were present at the meeting.


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