Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Member of Parliament D.V. Chanaka has challenged Minister of Energy Kumara Jayakody to a public debate on any media platform regarding the allegations of corruption in the coal tender process.
The MP stated that he is prepared to prove that the coal tender transaction is “entirely corrupt” and called on the Energy Minister to respond openly to the allegations.
Chanaka accused the current government of engaging in corruption and fraud from the early days of its administration. He recently raised concerns in Parliament, revealing what he described as a large-scale coal scam.
According to the MP, the government postponed the coal tender process to September, despite it traditionally taking place in April.
He further alleged that tests conducted at the Lakvijaya Coal Power Plant revealed that the calorific value of the first two coal shipments received ranges between 5,600 and 5,800 kilocalories per kilogram (kcal/kg).
He pointed out that, under the coal tender guidelines, the minimum required calorific value is 5,900 kcal/kg.
