The Supreme Court has ordered the shipping company to pay US$1 billion in compensation for the environmental and economic damage caused by the Express Pearl fire.

This was in response to the fundamental rights petitions filed by several parties, including Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, for the damage caused by the incident.

The Supreme Court has also reportedly ruled that the then minister in charge of the Marine Pollution Prevention Authority, Nalaka Godahewa, violated fundamental human rights by failing to take action to prevent this tragedy.

The five-judge Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice Murdu Fe ando has given these orders.

 


(colombotimes.lk)