Sharing power
Sri Lanka is facing a power
crisis at the moment, with the National Grid unable to cope with
the surging demand. Every year, the demand for mains electricity
increases almost exponentially. The present Government has
started several long overdue projects, but they will not come
online for a few more years.
It is in this context that we should hail the proposal by
Power and Energy W.D.J. Seneviratne for the construction of an
India-Sri Lanka electricity transmission interconnection for
bilateral power exchange.
The project envisages the construction of an electricity
transmission interconnection between India and Sri Lanka via the
Dhanushkody Palk Strait and Talaimannar connecting the CEB power
system of Sri Lanka and the Southern Region Grid of India.
Once completed, it is expected to bring maximum economic
benefits to both countries through the exchange of 1,000 MW of
power, the Minister has said.
This will be a landmark project that will take relations
between India and Sri Lanka to a new level.
There have been suggestions for several decades for an
Indo-Lanka electricity sharing mechanism, but this will make
those dreams a reality.
An Indian company is already involved in the construction of
a power plant in the East that will add around 500 MW to the
National Grid. These two projects, along with Norochcholai and
Upper Kotmale will boost the country’s rural electrification
drive.
In fact, the Cabinet recently granted approval to a
memorandum submitted by Minister Seneviratne for the
implementation of a rural electrification project with the
assistance of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
The 10 year Horizon-Development Framework (2006-2016)
envisages the expansion of coverage of electricity in the
country up to 96 per cent by 2016. The project will cover the
electrification of 600 remote villages. The new power line and
plants will be ideally placed to augment this programme.
Both countries should also contemplate providing cheaper
telephone calls for their citizens between the two countries.
We are not aware of the exact technical details but the
authorities should consider the possibility of laying a
dedicated submarine telecom cable along with the proposed power
line. That will help reduce costs as well.
The enhancement of travel facilities is also important.
SriLankan is already the foreign carrier with the highest number
of flights to India and Sri Lankan aviation authorities should
open our skies for more Indian carriers originating from
different cities in India. Sri Lanka already grants visas on
arrival to Indians and India is reported to be considering
reciprocating this move.
More stable conditions in the North should see the revival of
Indo-Lanka ferry services, which would be much cheaper than even
budget airlines.
Sri Lanka and India have already signed onto the Trans Asian
Train Service, which will link 27 Asian countries and possibly
link with the European train system to provide a seamless
service from London to any part of Asia.
It is still not clear whether the project envisages the
construction of a rail link between India and Sri Lanka, but a
train connection on the lines of the UK-France Channel Tunnel
would truly integrate Sri Lanka with the Asian continent.
Such a train service will indeed be a big boon for travellers
from both countries and for tourists from other countries.
Such a move will also be commendable in the wider context of
the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, which will
be holding its first summit in Colombo soon.
SAARC is eventually aspiring to become a borderless region in
the mould of the European Union and even a single currency has
been mooted.
The free movement of people and goods is a must for any
region to thrive. The Indo-Lanka Free Trade Agreement has
already created a major impact in terms of trade and Sri Lankan
authorities are now scrutinising the proposed Comprehensive
Economic Partnership Agreement to derive the maximum benefits
for Sri Lanka.
South-South cooperation is the way forward for developing
countries, along with the concept ‘trade not aid’.
The projects being contemplated should equally benefit both
India and Sri Lanka and contribute to their economic prosperity
in the true spirit of SAARC. |