Special committee for oil exploration

Uditha Kumarasinghe, Irangika Range and Sandasen Marasinghe

KOTTE: The Petroleum Resources Development Ministry has decided to appoint a Special Committee represented by all political parties in Parliament to supervise oil exploration activities in Sri Lanka.

Leader of the House Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva yesterday told Parliament a decision was taken at the Party Leader’s meeting held on February 6 to inform all political parties to nominate their representatives to this committee.

The Minister was responding to a question raised by JVP Parliamentarian Wimal Weerawansa regarding an assurance given by Petroleum Resources Development Minister A.H.M. Fowzie at the Budget debate to appoint a committee to supervise oil exploration.

Weerawansa said, however, the Minister has not yet taken steps to appoint this Committee.

Minister Fowzie agreed in this House to suspend the calling for tenders and appoint a Committee represented by all political parties to supervise oil exploration before these tenders are called.

But, the Ministry has already completed the calling of tenders, he said.

Therefore, there is no need to appoint a Committee at this juncture. A Committee is needed to supervise the calling of tenders, he said.

Minister de Silva said he will focus the attention of Minister Fowzie on this issue.

The Government recently opened the tenders received for the oil exploration for three blocks in the Mannar Basin which has a potential of one billion barrels of crude.

Three companies submitted six bids.

They are Cairn India, ONGC Videsh Ltd and Niko Resources Ltd.