On top of its mounting debts, already running into billions of rupees, the Ceylon Electricity Board incurred a further loss of Rs. 60 million by providing electricity to the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium, mostly for the Indian International Film Awards (IIFA) conducted there last month.
CEB Chairman Vidya Amarapala, while confirming the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium owed that amount mainly for power used for the IIFA festival, warned that unless concrete steps were taken to settle the dues, the stadium s power supply would be disconnected.
The Indoor Stadium will incur colossal losses in the event of a power disconnection as it is booked for various events through which it generates an income to keep itself afloat.
Minister of Power and Energy Patali Champika Ranawaka said government hospitals, security forces establishments and places of religious worship owed the CEB almost Rs. 15 billion while the CEB owed the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) billions of rupees for fuel supplied to operate the CEB power plants. `Those who fail to pay their dues would get their power disconnected,` Minister Ranawaka said.
He said the projected loss of the CEB this year was Rs 34 billion.
The IIFA was organised by the Tourist Board but there is some confusion as to who really should foot the massive electricity bill.
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21 Jul 2010 00:56:00 GMT