Solar power firms allegedly paid Rs. 14 million in bribes to restart projects in elephant habitats

2026-02-20 - 15:36

The Land and Agriculture Reform Movement alleges that 30 projects of profiteering business companies of the previous government, which were suspended last year, have been recommenced after paying an indirect bribe of Rs. 14 million, following the intervention of National People’s Power (NPP) Member of Parliament Nihal Galappaththi. It is stated that these projects have now been launched by clearing forest land that constitutes the natural habitat of elephants, located along the boundary of the Hambantota Wild Elephant Management Reserve, where elephants and tuskers live. The Land and Agriculture Reform Movement further revealed that large-scale forest destruction has been carried out by the relevant companies by bulldozing and setting fire to approximately 1,000 acres of forest land inhabited by elephants along the boundary of the Wild Elephant Management Reserve in the Sinukkugala, Orukengala and Kapapuwawa areas, and by enclosing forest cover with hanging electric fences. It is also alleged that these acts were carried out by the following companies: Dudu International (Pvt) Ltd, Nidhanya International (Pvt) Ltd, Tanu International (Pvt) Ltd, Tannish International (Pvt) Ltd, Orion Solar (Pvt) Ltd, Everrenew Energy (Pvt) Ltd and Asian Solar (Pvt) Ltd. The projects, which had been suspended at the Hambantota District Development Committee, are said to have been recommenced after five companies jointly provided Rs. 14 million as an indirect bribe. Researcher Sajeeva Chamika of the Land and Agriculture Reform Movement has pointed this out in a report. In his report, Sajeeva Chamika explains the manner in which the indirect bribe was allegedly paid as follows: “Under the direction and supervision of Sunil Ratnayake, District Secretary of the Hambantota District of the All Ceylon Farmers’ Federation, and Hambantota Municipal Councillor Nalan Kumara, approximately Rs. 11 million was provided to a farmers’ organisation to construct a 12-kilometre hanging electric fence from Nagarawewa to Mayurapura and up to Usgala within the Hambantota Wild Elephant Management Reserve. The manner in which the remaining Rs. 3 million was provided by the relevant companies has not been clearly stated. In this way, a total of Rs. 14 million was provided by five companies: Orion Solar, Nidhanya International, Tannish International, Tanu International and Dudu International. The process of providing funds by these companies was carried out under the guidance of Members of Parliament Nihal Galappaththi, Ruwan Senarath and Athula Weladagoda, while the Chairman of the Hambantota Pradeshiya Sabha, Sumith Dayawansa, coordinated the process. In addition, Senior Additional Secretary to the President Russel Aponso and Hambantota District Secretary Bimal Indrajith de Silvacoordinated the entire process. After providing funds for the construction of the electric fence in this manner, the relevant companies recommenced work on constructing solar power plants while destroying forest land that constitutes the natural habitat of elephants.” It is also stated that, prior to recommencing these projects, no form of review was carried out in accordance with the decisions taken at the District Development Committee. Accordingly, the Land and Agriculture Reform Movement alleges that it is clear the suspended projects were recommenced on the basis of providing funds for the construction of the hanging electric fence, and that this constitutes an indirect bribe. Solar mafia Meanwhile, Minister of Power and Energy Kumara Jayakody recently told Parliament that there exists not only an oil mafia within electricity generation, but also a solar mafia. He added that this would be dismantled. The full report released by the Land and Agriculture Reform Movement is given below. Hambanthota-MER-Threat-to-Solar-ProjectsDownload