China?s inroads into Sri Lanka again with negative environmental impact?

Y P Prakash

China is making a comeback in Sri Lanka. First, it gave its consent on conditionalities for the IMF to lend money to the island nation and now reports indicate that China?s Sinopec has pledged to invest in Sri Lanka?s southern district of Hambantota. While Sri Lanka?s experience of Chinese investments has been worrisome, a new angle has recently emerged with reports indicating that toxic acids evaporated from the Norochcholai Coal Power Plant may pose a threat to the Sri Mahabodhi tree, the oldest living tree of the world with a written history. While in the past China?s predatory practices in Sri Lanka have been well documented, the possible threat of environmental damage to the sacred Sri Mahabodhi Tree located in Anuradhapura, which is grown from a branch of the sacred Bodhi tree in Gaya, India is disturbing. The Sri Lankan President?s Media Division (PMD) said China?s Sinopec has pledged to invest in Sri Lanka?s southern district of Hambantota at a meeting with the island nation?s president, Ranil Wickremesinghe. The move comes as China looks to consolidate investments in Sri Lanka?s ports and energy sector. This comes amidst increasing security concerns raised by the island nation?s immediate neighbour India and the United States. The previous government had leased the US$1.5 billion Hambantota port built by China to state-owned firms on a 99-year lease. China had promised to establish a 15,000-acre industrial zone around the port which is yet to materialize. China?s aggressive lending to Sri Lanka along with investments of billions of dollars has also raised concerns of a possible plan to establish a military base in Hambantota. A comprehensive report, released by the US Department of Defense (November 2021) stated that China was considering and planning for additional military bases and logistics facilities globally, to support naval, air, and ground forces projection in several countries, including in Sri Lanka. China has denied such a plan and said its move with Colombo has been always commercial. The West led by the US, has blamed China?s aggressive lending as a ?debt trap? which has led Sri Lanka to face an unprecedented economic crisis amid sovereign debt default. However, both Sri Lanka and China have denied the ?debt trap? accusation. China, instead, had blamed Sri Lanka?s sovereign borrowing, which was mostly from the Western countries, as the primary cause of the debt trap and ensuing crisis. The PMD said a discussion (13 March 2023) took place between the representatives of the Sinopec Group and President Wickremesinghe. ?President Ranil Wickremesinghe said that the government has taken a principled decision to expand the distribution of fuel & Hambantota has been identified as a primary energy hub,? the PMD said in a statement. Sinopec has also pledged to invest in a refinery in Hambantota. The meeting with the Sinopec comes ten days after President Wickremesinghe directed the country?s Petroleum Minister to swiftly revive the Trincomalee oil tank farm and incorporate it into the country?s economy. Pertinently, emissions from the Lakvijaya(Norchcholai) power plant have already produced significant negative impacts on the environment as well as on resident society. Ecologists assess that clouds carrying dangerous acid deposits could move in the direction of Anuradhapura, where the revered Sri Mahabodhi tree is located. Evidence of this comes from trees near the power plant, which have already started showing symptoms of damage. The leaves of taller trees have started turning yellowish due to the emission of gases from the power plant. It is expected that in a short while the effect of toxic emissions will also be felt on the sacred tree. Moreover, the acidic condition is also spreading towards the sea areas. Therefore, rebuilding such harmful coal power plants in future will be a threat to the eco-system. The Norochcholai Power Plant, located in Puttalam, in Sri Lanka?s North-Western province is about an hour away from the Sri Mahabodhi tree at Anuradhaprua. The tree holds significant importance for Buddhists who visit and pay homage to the sacred tree, which has a direct link to the Buddha himself. Norchcholai is Sri Lanka?s largest thermal power plant, (known locally as the Lakvijaya Power Plant). Emissions from the 900MW coal power plant in the Kalpitiya peninsula (see map) are said to be much above permissible standards possibly due to frequent breakdowns, intermittent operations and unexpected storage of fly ash in open pits. The power plant also gives rise to a large amount of solid waste, heat waste and water pollution due to the release of heated water. This will have long-term environmental impacts. The main issues with the plant are related to fly ash and bottom ash produced during the power generation process. Fly ash and bottom ash are by-products of the coal combustion process, where fly ash is fine particles that escape combustion chambers with exhaust gases, while bottom ash is a non-combustible residue that collects at the bottom of the broiler. Fly ash open dumping is also of significant concern as the yard is open to wind erosion and leaching. As it is smaller than 10 microns, it is easily lifted by the winds and carried away, disrupting agriculture, polluting water supplies and causing various diseases. It has been reported that several children in the areas surrounding the Norochcholai power plant have contracted skin diseases. Patches, that look like rashes have appeared on the skin of several children. Even newborns are born with these patches. Sri Lanka?s first coal-fired thermal power plant and largest power station was implemented as a joint venture of the Ceylon Electricity Board with the aid of EXIM Bank of the Republic of China. Located 100miles inland from the shoreline, construction was undertaken by the China Machinery Engineering Corporation with a total estimated cost of US$ 1.35 billion. The Norachcholai Power Station generates a significant amount of Sri Lanka?s total electricity production.The main source of energy at the Lakvijaya power plant is coal which is also the most depleted resource. Coal depletion is a global externality which is felt by all countries relying on fossil fuels for energy needs. Groundwater is drawn up for the coal yard and yard operations at this facility in huge amounts. However, it is not replenished again as it usually gets evaporated. China?s recent attempts to make inroads into Sri Lanka again are to be noted keeping in mind past experience of the negative impact of such penetration in terms of investments and conditional aid. The deleterious environmental impact of the Chinese built power plant in Puttalam and its potential impact on the Mahabodhi tree should be a warning to Chinese built projects, which usually completely disregard environment norms and create more headaches than solutions. President Ranil Wickremasinghe knows the risks that he is taking of inviting the Chinese into Sri Lanka again. Let history not repeat itself!