Blasting of Hambantota port rock complete by next month
The much discussed blasting of the Hambantota Port seabed rock, which hinders the entrance to the inland harbour, would be completed by early November, Chief engineer of the Hambantota port Agil Hewageegana said.
“The work, which was temporarily halted due to the monsoons, re-commenced in the second week of October and if Hambantota does not experience inclement weather conditions the work will be completed within 30 days,” he said.
The blasts are carried out by the Chinese contractors and an additional cost, close to one fourth of the total expenditure for the harbour, has been allocated to remove the rock. Sri Lanka Port Authority had asked China for a US$ 40 million loan to demolish the seabed rock.
Responding to a query, Hewageegana said that the blasting of the seabed rock would not cause any adverse effects to Hambantota city as claimed by certain politicians. “It is an irresponsible and totally politically de-motivating story,” he said.
According to Hewageegana, the seabed rock is a part of the one-kilometer-long 240-meter-wide channel that extends towards the sea from the entrance of the inland harbour.
The removal of the rock in Hambantota harbour will fulfill international maritime requirement needed to operate a port, with the endorsement of the Admiralty Chart, he said.
Courtesy: The Island
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Why the hell wasn’t this rock blasted before the harbour gates were open for the sea to flood in? Surely, it would have been less expensive to do the balsting on dry land before the harbour was opened to the sea! It would have saved our country $40 million, which could have been spent on other infra-structure building. What a sheer waste of money! Who is responsible for this fiasco? I don’t think any head would roll for this abominable waste of money. Afterall, it is people’s money, and does the State care?
Nico.., read it once again that it has said this rock “extends towards the see from entrence of the port”
so it hasn’t been on dry land since before.
The only mistake is our authorities were not fully aware of intl standards of a port. They’ve ignored this if they saw it before.