Draft of the new Hydrology Bill to be submitted to Parliament on January 9

The draft of the new Hydrology Bill, which has been drafted regarding the establishment of the Hydrological Service, the regularization of Hydrological Surveys, the creation of nautical maps and other naval and ocean related activities is to be submitted to the Parliament on January 9.

A special discussion was held pertaining to this new Bill at the Justice Ministry on Thursday (4) in the morning presided by the Justice, Prison Affairs and Constitutional Reforms Minister, President’s Counsel, Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, with the participation of Navy Commander, Vice Admiral Priyantha Perera and Justice Ministry Secretary M.N.Ranasinghe.

It was revealed in this discussion that Sri Lanka can earn about 51 million US dollars a year by creating nautical charts and selling them to ships sailing through Sri Lankan waters and that a British company, together with the NARA Institute, creates nautical charts within Sri Lanka’s maritime boundaries and sells them to ships passing through Sri Lanka’s territorial waters.

It was also revealed in this discussion that Sri Lanka only gets a part of the money charged from the ships.

The new Hydrology Bill has been prepared so that Sri Lanka can obtain economic benefits internationally through the transfer of legal powers to maintain the Sri Lanka Navy’s Hydrological Service at the national level, the prompt establishment of the National Hydrology Office, and the creation of nautical charts.

Minister Rajapakshe stated that through the passage of this Bill, Sri Lanka will receive a large amount of dollars and that previously these activities have not been done properly. He said that no Member of Parliament can oppose this Bill and it is being discussed with the Opposition Leader and other Party leaders. The Minister emphasized that these types of Bills are presented on behalf of the country and therefore, that no one has the ability to oppose.

Navy Commander Vice Admiral Priyantha Perera briefed the Justice Minister on the economic benefits to Sri Lanka after passing and enacting the new Hydrology Bill.

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