Hambantota 2018 bid pushes renewable energy for Commonwealth Games

TAMPA/DOHA: The Hambantota bid for the Commonwealth Games was present at the IOC “Playing for a Greener Future” environmental conference in Doha to spread the word about its campaign.

Hambantota is a city that has outlived the disaster of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and is looking towards hosting a large scale sporting event to infuse the economy.

The main bid plan for Hambantota lists provisions for renewable energy and eco-friendly use of resources and waste disposal, including electricity from waste.  The new port will use renewable energy for some of its power requirements, with solar power to be used for all street lighting.  And the new airport and Sports City will also utilize alternative energy sources.

The Hambantota 2018 delegation included Hon. Keheliya Rambukwella, Minister of Mass Media and Information, Hemasiri Fernando, president of the NOC of Sri Lanka, Prema Pinnawala, vice-president of the Sri Lanka Athletics Association and member of the Sri Lankan Commonwealth Games Association (CGA), Vipula Wanigasekara, general manager of the Sri Lanka Convention Bureau, and Brig. JPA Jayawardena, Private Secretary to the Minister of Mass Media and Information.

Minister Rambukwella said: “The environment is a crucial third dimension alongside sport and culture in our bid.  We have factored environmental protection and sustainability into our planning for an exemplary Games in 2018.  

 “A series of eco-friendly policies go hand in hand with plans for state of the art sporting venues, facilities and the accompanying infrastructure.  And we will use the popularity of sport to help raise environmental awareness throughout Sri Lanka, across South Asia and beyond to support the efforts of the IOC Commission on Sport and the Environment.”

Hambantota is in the race to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games and is running against the Gold Coast in Australia. The bid file will be consigned on May 11 at Kuala Lumpur and the final vote will be on November 11, 2011 at the Commonwealth Games Federation assembly in St. Kitts and Nevis. (Source: Sports Features Communications)