Modi has responded positively to Sirisena’s suggestion, and asked his officials to discuss the issue promptly with their Sri Lankan counterparts, and move forward.

This was revealed to The Island here today by Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India Esala Weerakoon.

The Sampur project figured in the bilateral deliberations between the two sides on Friday. President Sirisena raised the issue, and Modi reacted to the former’s suggestion favourably.

Present at the bilateral talks were Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India Esala Weerakoon, his Deputy MKR Lenagala, and Asoka Girihagama, Director General of the South Asia Division in the Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry.

The Indian side included Foreign Secretary Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Yashvardhan Kumar Sinha, and Ms Renu Pall, Joint Secretary (Sri Lanka, Maldives and the Indian Ocean Region) in the Ministry of External Affairs.

The Sampur Power Station (also known as Sampoor Power Station and Trincomalee Power Station) was meant to be a coal-powered power station. The MoU for the first 500 MW phase was signed on 29 December 2006, between the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) and India’s National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC).

The Power Purchase Agreement, Implementation Agreement, BOI Agreement, Land Lease Agreement and Coal Supply Agreement were signed on 7 October 2013 by relevant parties including the Government the CEB and the Trincomalee Power Company Limited. The power station was expected to come online in late 2017.

However, there has been opposition to the coal-powered plant from people living in the area. Prominent leaders like R Sampanthan and Rauf Hakeem have expressed reservations about the plant.

In view of this and President Sirisena personally taking up the issue with Modi, India may now do what Sri Lanka desires.

(S. Venkat Narayan - special correspondent - island.lk)