We report on work in assessing the impact of climate on human-elephant-conflict in response to requests from the Environment and the Forest Conversation Division of the Mahaweli Authority of Sri Lanka. We have also characterized NDVI data sets and their links to climate. We hope to collaborate on the impacts of weather and climate on rare species which are sensitive to drought.

We have undertaken the following projects 

• Air Quality in Norochcholai, Kalpitiya, Puttalam (2017-Ongoing)
• Proposed Sampur Coal Power Plants (2011)
• Climate and Human-Elephant Conflict  ( 2001 – 2003 )

  Air Quality in Norochcholai, Kalpitiya, Puttalam (2017-Ongoing)

The coal power plant at Norochcholai in western Sri Lanka has been a source of controversy since 2011 in relation to the environmental impacts. It generates 900MW later and supplies 40% of the national electric demand. Air quality is affected by emissions from the 150 meter tall chimneys and open yards of coal and fly ash removed from the bottom of the electro-static precipitator (ESP).  The hill country which rises to about 2532 meters is particularly sensitive as there are orographic cloud formation processes.  The Kandy district has large areas which are western facing in this mountain massif.  There is transport of pollutants across these locales, which is of high interest. Hourly   particulate   (pm2.5) measurements have been obtained since March, 2017 by the US embassy within central Colombo with an EPA accredited BAM-1020 pm2.5 monitor.  In  March,  2018, we  deployed  lower  cost  sensors at  Norochcholai  and  Nawalapitiya (Climate  Change  Observatory  of the  Dilmah  Tea  Company).  These instruments had been assessed well by California’s Southern Coast Air Quality Management District. Wind measurements were obtained within the triangle of these locations. These readings show with very high likelihood that fine particulates are being transmitted from the Coal Power Plant to the central hills – a few alternative hypotheses are being explored. It has significant implications for hydrology, ecosystems, agriculture and human health.

  Proposed Sampur Coal Power Plant (2011) 

A second coal power plant was proposed as a joint venture of Ceylon Electricity Board and National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) of India. The Joint Venture Company has been incorporated as Trincomalee Power Company Limited on 6th September 2011. Trincomalee Power Company Limited was expected to be responsible for the implementation and operation of the 2 X 250MW coal power plant in Sampur. The total estimated cost of the project was projected to be USD 512 Million.

 

The power generated will be transmitted to the national grid through high voltage transmission lines from Sampur through Habarana to the Veyangoda Grid Substations. A Power Purchase Agreement, Implementation Agreement, BOI Agreement, Land Lease Agreement, and Coal Supply Agreement were signed on 07 October 2013 by the Government of Sri Lanka, Ceylon Electricity Board, and JV Company. The project was expected to be commissioned before the end of 2017. However, due to flaws in its EIA in preventing environmental pollution, and objections from the public, the government decided to cease plans. This project though may be revived by a future government.

Climate and Human-Elephant Conflict  ( 2001 – 2003 )

This project was in collaboration with the IRI, Center for Environmental Research and Conservation (CERC), Environment and Forest Conservation Division of the MASL and the Department of Wildlife Conservation in Sri Lanka. We established precipitation and NDVI climatologies, undertook downscaling of climate predictions and identified a link between drought in the first half of the year and elephant deaths.