July 28, Colombo: Power and Energy Minister of Sri Lanka Champika Ranawaka today lashed at Indian media reports that said Pakistan is to set up a nuclear power plant in Sri Lanka.

Ranawaka at a news conference today said that Sri Lanka has no plans to build a nuclear power station with Pakistan assistance and accused the Indian media of trying to create tension between countries in the region by publishing false media reports.

He made this comment in response to Indian media reports that Sri Lanka is looking at building a nuclear power station with Pakistani aid.

He explained that the only power sector development project currently in progress is the 500 MW Sampur coal power plant that is being built jointly by the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) and National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) of India.

"These reports are utterly false. We have to see these reports in the background of the proposed visit to Sri Lanka by the Pakistan foreign minister", Ranawaka told media.

The Minister stressed that Sri Lanka did not require approval from any country to carry out development projects in the country's power and energy field.

However, Ranawaka re-iterated that there was no joint venture between Sri Lanka and Pakistan to build a nuclear power plant.