The function of planning a power station has become the right of the CEB’s engineers and their foreign consultants. We do not have oil in Sri Lanka and the oil refinery is at Sapugaskanda. I cannot see the reason for transporting oil by huge bowsers (Use of railway is almost nil) to Anuradhapura and generating power at Anuradhapura and feeding the national grid at Anuradhapura.

If the transmission lines are not capable of carrying more power from a generating source, those who planned the power lines and approved their construction must be beheaded in public. When the CEB planned the 220kV lines, my friend Mr. Joe Varnakulasinghe a very respected engineer who worked at AEI Transmission Division in the UK, said that we have to have 400kV lines and not 220kV. CEB pundits laughed at Mr. Varnakulasinghe. His idea was that by the time we plan and construct the 220kV lines, it is time to go for 400kV, so why not do it now. Then the question of overloading of power lines would not be there for a long time to come.

Sri Maha Bodhi at Anuradhapura is the oldest historical tree in the world (Please see History of the World by H. G. Wells) and is the greatest and the Holiest Place of Worship for Buddhists. It is a world heritage which every human being must protect (except the "Talebanians"). The exhaust fumes from a power station even in a remote corner in Anuradhapura district will affect the Holy Tree; Committees do not have to study this aspect. Anyone with common sense will realize this fact. (In Sri Lanka we have a lot of "Talebanians" even among Buddhists).

The installation of a Thermal Power Station at Anuradhapura must be abandoned. If the Catholic Church objected to the Norochcholar Coal Power Station as it would affect the church in the area and the few residents, everybody immaterial of race or religion must get together and get rid of this potential killer of the Sri Maha Bodhi. We Buddhists have great faith in Lord Kalu Badara Devi who is protecting the Holy Tree. We Buddhists must pray to Him to get rid of those who plan to kill the Boo Tree.
Colvin de Zoysa
Colombo 8