With the order of indefinite closure and eviction of employees issued by the Mallakam Magistrate on January 27 against the Northern Power Plant in Chunnakam preventing its employees from reporting to work being vacated by the Court of Appeal last week; the power plant re-opened for essential maintenance and the employees returned to work on Monday, the Company announced .

Earlier on 20 February, the Jaffna High Court allowed the Northern Power Co’s Revision Application to restore the status quo on the illegal eviction of employees from the Chunnakkam Power Plant, except generation. However due to a confusion with regards to the interpretation of the language of the order, the plant was ordered to be closed again by the Registrar of the Mallakam Magistrate.

The Company is hopeful that its generation operation too would be allowed to recommence by Court, as it has right throughout maintained that the Chunnakam Power Plant run by Northern Power is in no way responsible for the regrettable water contamination issue that has caused hardships to the people of Jaffna.

“We are strongly of the opinion that there is an unseen hand that is misleading the public of the area with some ulterior motive unknown to us to hinder our operation that is being carried out meeting all the procedural and statutory requirements mandated by the laws of Sri Lanka. People of Jaffna have benefited tremendously from the Chunnakkam Power Plant and they must think wisely that any hindrance to the smooth operation of the power plant will affect the electricity supply and adversely impact the activities of the North. People should not be misled by these baseless allegations.”

“We wish to reassert that Northern Power Company (Pvt) Ltd along with its parent company – MTD Walkers PLC is always committed towards working in the interest of all stakeholders while maintaining the highest standards of corporate ethics and good governance,” he added.