Sri Lanka to reassess Adani group’s Mannar wind power project

The Attorney General informed the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka today (October 14) that the new Cabinet has decided to reassess the Wind Power Project in Mannar, which involves India’s Adani Group.

This decision was announced during the hearing of fundamental rights petitions filed by the Wildlife and Nature Protection Society, the Centre for Environmental Justice, and several other parties, who seek to nullify the Cabinet’s approval for the project due to environmental concerns.

Deputy Solicitor General Dr. Avanthi Perera, representing the Attorney General, the Cabinet Secretary, and the Minister of Energy, stated that the reassessment will take place on November 7, 2024.

The new government will review the terms of the agreement between the Sri Lankan government and the Adani Group, as well as address the issues raised in the petitions.

She assured the court that the status of the project would remain unchanged until a final decision is made by the new Cabinet following the upcoming general election.

The petitioners expressed concerns that the project site is located near three protected areas: Adam’s Bridge Marine National Park, Vidataltivu Nature Reserve, and Vankalai Sanctuary, a RAMSAR site.

These areas are critical for biodiversity and fall under the protection of the Department of Wildlife Conservation.

The petitioners argued that the wind power project would cause irreversible damage to the ecosystem and biodiversity, and negatively impact the welfare of local communities.

The petitioners requested that the authorities, including the Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority, be prevented from issuing any permits to Adani Green Energy Sri Lanka Limited (AGESL) for the project.

In response, the court allowed the petitioners to amend their petitions to include members of the new Cabinet as respondents, considering the change in responsible parties.

The Supreme Court, presided over by a five-judge bench including Justices S. Thurairaja, A.H.M.D. Nawaz, Shiran Gooneratne, Achala Wengappuli, and Mahinda Samayawardhena, fixed the petitions for support on March 18 and 19, 2025.

The Attorney General has been asked to submit any relevant materials by January 31, 2025.