Litro Gas and Laugfs get lands in Hambantota Port

A pair of key plots of land within the Hambantota Port premises has been assigned to two local-based Liquid Petroleum Gas providing companies, Minister of Ports and Shipping Mahinda Samarasinghe told Parliament yesterday.

Accordingly, Litro Gas Lanka Ltd. and Laugfs Gas PLC are the two companies that have received these lands, the Minister revealed to the House.

The Minister went on to say the two plots of land in concern were valued at $ 5000 per a hectare in 2010 and 2012, and were revalued at $ 5600 per hectare in 2016.

“We held a series of discussions with the Chinese company with whom we have entered into Public Private Partnership concerning Hambantota Port, and designed a framework agreement for which we received Cabinet approval. Following this procedure, we have given these lands to the above mentioned companies,” Minister Samarasinghe said.

The Minister made these remarks while responding to questions raised by Joint Opposition MP Vasudeva Nanayakkara.

Refuting allegations that land belonging to the Hambantota Port have been sold to China, the Minister pointed out that such lands have been leased to the International Hambantota Group and the Hambantota International Services Ltd. for further development.