Thursday Feb 06, 2025
Thursday Feb 06, 2025
Thursday, 6 February 2025 00:31 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The Government is accelerating its efforts to attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to the country by providing much-needed infrastructure to existing and new investors.
The Horana Export Processing Zone (HEPZ) is a centre of attraction due to its location. One key feature of the Board of Investment (BOI) zones is the provision of services that enable investors to operate their businesses smoothly, and investors always prefer the “turn-key nature” of these facilities. Electricity, water, and drainage systems, inbound illumination systems, and internal roads are the key attractions to investors. These essential facilities enable investors to conduct commercial operations or constructions immediately after the signing of agreements with the BOI.
The constituency of the HEPZ consists of more manufacturing-led investors and the wastewater treatment plant is an integral part of the operation. Most importantly, the HEPZ’s long-term viability and compliance with the ESG framework of the organisation make it even better at meeting the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (Goal 15). Hence, it was identified by the BOI that the capacity of the existing Common Wastewater Treatment Plant (CWWTP), which is used for the treatment of wastewater discharges from industries at the HEPZ, needs to be increased and therefore, the augmentation of the CWWTP up to a capacity of 3,000 cubic metres per day is essential to cater to the present influent volume of 1,750 cubic metres/day and the forecasted additional volume of wastewater generated from the expansion of existing projects and new projects to be established in vacant lands, while uplifting the environmental sustainability of the zone and mitigating health issues.
The BOI Capital Budget lists this project as a priority activity in order to reduce any possible environmental impacts and to meet the Central Environmental Authority’s (CEA) requirements for getting an Environmental Protection Licence (EPL) for the HEPZ.
Bids were invited through the National Competitive Bidding process, which had 11 bidders that submitted bids, with only four applicants eligible for the detailed evaluation. Bids were evaluated; at the evaluation stage, the Technical Evaluation Committee (TEC) determined the least substantially responsive bidder that had fulfilled the relevant qualifications and experience required for awarding the contract.
Hence, the Cabinet of Ministers, by a decision dated 5 June 2023, has granted approval for the proposed enhancement of the CWWTP at the HEPZ utilising BOI funds after the competitive bidding process and technical evaluation are completed. On 9 December 2024, the Cabinet took the final decision and approved the contract award to Luminex PLC.
The BOI always works with the CEA, takes necessary action to mitigate imminent adverse environmental and health issues, and follows instructions to maintain the treatment efficiency of the existing wastewater treatment plant at the HEPZ. The proposed addition is expected to make the treatment system efficient and effective while strengthening the existing CWWTP and fully meeting the discharge effluent standards and CEA requirements.
