COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s ports and shipping minister Arjuna Ranatunga has ordered a probe into revenue losses caused by non use of a weighbridge at Trincomaleee harbour through which coal, clinker and gypsum are imported.
A statement said the weighbridge was installed in 2006 but not used properly till December 2015 as it had not been maintained and had got damaged.
The weighbridge was repaired by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority on Ranatunga’s orders at a cost of 2.5 million rupees.
The equipment, used to weigh road vehicles and their contents, was put back into use on 27 December 2015, the statement said.
“The increase in revenue due to the weigh bridge in the past two months was 9.7 million rupees with the port’s total income being 70.9 million rupees.”
The lack of a weighbridge meant the volume of coal, clunker and gypsum imports had been calculated inaccurately till now, the ministry said.
“This was one of the main reasons for the fall in revenue at Trincomalee harbour,” the statement said.
