Imported wooden posts to expedite electrification

Wasantha Ramanayake

COLOMBO: Power and Energy Minister John Seneviratne has decided to import quality wooden posts to expedite rural electrification projects in case the State Timber Corporation continuously fails to supply the required quantum, a Ministry official said.

A large number of rural electrification projects had been languishing due to the poor supply of wooden posts by the State Timber Corporation.

Although the annual requirement of wooden posts for the projects was around 20,000, only around 3,500 are supplied, the official said.

According to the official some projects funded by the de-centralised funds of the Parliamentarians in 2004 have not been completed due to the shortage. "These Parliamentarians are complaining about the delays," he said.

The other programmes were funded by the Asian Development Bank.

Many of these projects had been launched mostly in extremely difficult areas in the Uva, Southern, Central and Sabaragamuwa Provinces.

He said the Minister had discussions with the Timber Corporation recently and if the required quantity was not forthcoming from the Corporation the Ministry would take steps to import quality wooden posts to expedite the delayed electrification programmes.