"Sri Lankan academics and professionals ask President to call off Adani wind power project", 12 December 2024

In an open letter to Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, a number of academics have appealed for the cancellation of the Adani’s group’s wind power project in Mannar on environmental grounds.

They want the President to take up the matter with the government of India, when he goes to India on an official visit on December 15.

...Text of the letter:

..[W]e were indeed elated when you publicly vowed to cancel the proposed ‘Adani’ wind power project to be established in the Mannar Island. In a pre-election political chat show, you made a categorical declaration that you will cancel the proposed ‘Adani’ Project, as  you considered the transaction to be “corrupt” and threatened Sri Lanka’s energy sovereignty....

Large numbers of citizens of Sri Lanka, including organizations and most importantly the rural communities living in the area, including the fishing communities have protested, pleaded and railed against the proposed wind power project during the former Government’s regime to no avail...

... [A] number of individuals and organizations filed several public interest litigations challenging the proposed Project in the Supreme Court pleading with the Court to stop the illegal project. The said cases are presently pending before the Court, and the court filings are now a matter of public record.

We assure you that we are not in anyway opposed to renewable energy projects, such as wind power and solar farms, or engagement of foreign companies to develop such sources. In fact, we  welcome Sri Lanka’s transition to renewable energy and support the sustainable energy initiatives for the country...

The proposed Project will lead to far-reaching consequences on the communities living in the area and their socioeconomic conditions at large. They have carried out numerous protests and campaigns requesting the Sri Lankan authorities not to pay obeisance to foreign powers for whatever reason at the cost of their livelihoods and quality of life.

The fishing community has made evidence based submission that vibrations from wind turbines installed by the coast removes the fish harvests towards deep sea away from the coast...