- Business chain reports equipment damage in Hiriketiya due to electricity fluctuations
With tourist areas in the island facing challenges in accessing utilities such as water and electricity for businesses, it is learnt that the unavailability of a steady supply of electricity and water are among issues consistently faced by business owners in these areas.
Multiple business owners and managers from the southern and eastern coasts have flagged issues with power outages and fluctuating power supply, which has resulted in equipment damage.
Multiple complaints across tourist areas
An owner of a chain of businesses that operates in multiple tourism areas told The Sunday Morning that due to fluctuations in the electricity supply in Hiriketiya, his equipment had been damaged.
“A freezer worth Rs. 2 million got burnt because of power fluctuations,” he said.
A request had been made to the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) requesting a 60 ampere three-phase electricity connection to match the demand. However, they had only been given a 30 ampere connection due to limitations.
He alleged that his business inside Galle Fort faced water shortages as the main water line’s supply only took place after 11 p.m.
“We cannot get water through bowsers either because of the regulations around bringing heavy vehicles into the fort,” he claimed.
According to the special regulations for the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Galle Fort set by the Urban Development Authority (UDA), no heavy vehicles and other vehicles more than five tonnes in weight are permitted to enter the area.
While Arugam Bay has a steady supply of electricity, the east coast surfing attraction is facing similar water shortages, according to a manager of a business there who wished to remain anonymous.
He said that having to bring in water through bowsers at least twice a day was a hindrance to tourist activity as they needed to be parked, blocking roads.
The business owner from Hiriketiya said that this same water shortage was experienced in Weligama as well.
An owner of multiple businesses in Ahangama confirmed that they too had been experiencing multiple infrastructural issues including shortages of electricity and water.
“We have a power cut at least once a week and water cuts every other day,” he told The Sunday Morning.
Each month, he spends Rs. 120,000 on a generator for his music venue, an expense his small community business cannot afford. “We lose out on business because of this.”
He said that he had brought the issues to the attention of authorities during the previous Government to no avail. Due to this, he said that citizens had taken initiative.
Similar issues are experienced in Ella, The Sunday Morning learns. Venura Malinda Dissanayake, an owner of a tourist hotel, said that most establishments did not have a National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) water supply and that the Pradeshiya Sabha supply line was not sufficient.
Stance of authorities
When questioned about the issue concerning water supply to tourist areas, NWSDB Chairman Deepthi U. Sumanasekara told The Sunday Morning that such issues existed in many places because proposed projects were not implemented.
He said that in order to provide water to meet demands, large-scale projects had to be implemented, which was contingent upon the Government’s availability of funds.
“A plan has been submitted to the Treasury and it has been approved. But we will only be able to implement it as the money comes. We might have to see if foreign aid can be obtained,” he said.
He explained that for some areas, the building of new water plants was required. “However, If there is a supply, we do look to see what could be done to improve things,” the Chairman added.
With regard to the Southern Province specifically, however, The Sunday Morning learns from NWSDB Regional Support Centre (South) Assistant General Manager S.K. Samantha Kumara that attention has been paid to resolving the shortages in water supply.
“The Government has allocated funds for this. Now the task is to spend it and resolve the issues. The issue has been given prominence due to the crucial nature of the tourism sector,” Kumara said.
Ahangama experiences water cuts due to the NWSDB plant in Galle not having sufficient capacity to provide a 24-hour supply of water. Therefore, the supply the area receives is intermittent. Kumara nevertheless said that plans were underway to resolve this.
The situation in Hiriketiya was similar, he observed, saying: “Some projects had to be halted because of the financial situation in the country.” However, he said that the work was being resumed and that the supply from Dikwella to the Seenimodara Bridge near Tangalle would be resolved by the first quarter of 2026. He also claimed that unlike in other areas, Weligama had no issues at present with regard to its water supply.
However, when questioned about issues in the power supply affecting businesses in Ahangama and Hiriketiya, CEB Spokesperson Dhammike Wimalaratne told The Sunday Morning that no such complaint had reached the board at present.
“This is the first time I’m hearing about it. Perhaps it is a localised issue, but they have to report it,” he said.
Wimalaratne added that they could send a letter to the relevant area engineer highlighting the issue, noting that the official’s responsibility was to attend to the matter.
Infrastructure development in tourist areas is implemented by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) in two ways. In tourism zones such as Kalpitiya, Trincomalee, Negombo, and others, the SLTDA utilises its funds and gets directly involved in development. In other areas, it works with local authorities such as Pradeshiya Sabhas.
SLTDA Chairman Buddhika Hewawasam told The Sunday Morning that depending on whether the infrastructural issue fell under the purview of the Central Government or the local authority, the SLTDA would get involved in order to respond to requests made by tourism stakeholders when demands arose.
“If there is a necessity for tourism-related infrastructure, we will fund them through our ministry,” he said.
The Chairman noted that the problems in relation to demand for utilities had risen due to the increase in tourist numbers. However, he also said that haphazard development of unregistered ventures in the sector had resulted in the areas exceeding their carrying capacity.
“When a development is planned, we factor in the new tourist establishments and decisions are made accordingly. But when they are not, these problems arise,” he pointed out.
Explaining the situation along the south coast, Hewawasam said that it had been discussed with electrical engineers and the CEB. He added that the demands were analysed and that electrical infrastructure would be upgraded as required. Whenever there was a problem, the SLTDA would mediate, he assured.
Other issues
On 1 May 2024, a volunteer lifeguard who had been keeping watch near his establishment in Ahangama had drowned in an attempt to save a tourist, he alleged. Thereafter, two business owners in the area had been paying a lifeguard to ensure the beach was safe.
Meanwhile, new establishments are emerging, resulting in a high demand for utilities. The business owner from Ahangama alleged that high tension wires had been drawn in order to provide electricity to newly built hotels. For this, he said, trees had to be cut.
“It has ruined the scenic beauty. Overdevelopment is the real issue,” he said.
During its inquiries, The Sunday Morning also learnt that due to the lack of a proper wastewater disposal system in Ella, water from tourist establishments was being released to roadside gutters. However, Dissanayake, who owned a business there, said that the issue was currently being addressed through the construction of a drainage system.
In its ‘Growth Scenarios for Tourism to Sri Lanka 2025’ report, the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority notes that the ongoing debt restructuring process may limit the Government’s ability to invest in infrastructure developments for tourism, posing a challenge to the growth of the sector.