Sri Lanka's Energy Minister resigns

COLOMBO, Apr 17: Sri Lanka's Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody and ministry secretary Udayanga Hemapala resigned on Friday following an outcry over coal imports for power generation.

Jayakody stepped down to make way for investigations to be carried out into alleged imports of low-quality coal for Sri Lanka's only coal-fired power plant, according to a statement from the president's media office.

The resignations were handed over to Sri Lanka President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Friday morning.

"We are not trying to hide ?anything. Proper procurement guidelines and procedures were followed. There was no fraud or corruption with the direct involvement of the energy minister," Foreign Affairs Minister Vijitha Herath told reporters following the resignation.    �"REUTERS