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Home » NewsTrains given full bath before services begin tomorrow
Western Province train services are to be resumed from tomorrow after several weeks of travel restrictions. Yesterday’s picture at the Dematagoda railway yard shows Railway employees giving the trains a thorough bath with long brushes and soap to prepare them for passengers. Pic by Indika Handuwala
Omani firm that sought Colombo prime land now wants solar park
The Omani company which recently expressed interest in prime Colombo properties and hotel management deals–and failed to deliver–has also bid for a 100MW solar park at Siyambalanduwa but failed to secure Cabinet approval. The Sri Lanka Government received an “investment proposal” from Oman’s Shumookh Investment and Services (SIS) to develop the Siyambalanduwa Solar Park, the [...]
High Court stops payments for harmful Chinese fertiliser; shipment to be turned away
The State-owned Ceylon Fertiliser Company (CFC) has obtained an enjoining order from the Commercial High Court against Qingdao Biotech Group Co. Ltd., its local agent and the People’s Bank, preventing the bank from making any payment under a Letter of Credit (LC) opened in favour of the Chinese company. The company had entered into a [...]
Highly publicised COVID-19 fund: More than 1.6bn still not used
The ‘Itukama’ COVID-19 Fund, launched amidst much fanfare in March last year and administered by the Presidential Secretariat, still has more than Rs. 1.6 billion sitting unused in its account, a Right to Information (RTI) request filed by the Sunday Times has revealed. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa established the Itukama COVID-19 Healthcare and Social Security Fund [...]
Indo-Lanka fishing conflict surfaces again
In a tit-for-tat move, the Indian Navy arrested two Sri Lankan fishermen from Jaffna on Friday night for allegedly trespassing into India’s territorial waters following ongoing protests in India condemning the death of an Indian fisherman in Sri Lankan waters on Tuesday. The two Lankan fishermen were taken to Indian naval custody for allegedly crossing [...]
Teacher trade unions call for parents’ support to win their demands
Teacher trade unions will call for major protests by parents in support of their demands after a string of awareness campaigns starting from tomorrow to create maximum pressure to gain their demands through the Budget to be presented on November 12. As teachers were set to return to schools tomorrow, they will resume their agitation [...]
Kerawalapitiya plant: CEB engineers seek SC order to quash Govt.’s deals with US firm
The Ceylon Electricity Board Engineers Union (CEBEU) has filed a fundamental rights petition, seeking an injunction against what it calls “unlawful” agreements the Government has entered into with the US-based New Fortress Energy (NFE). The Supreme Court petition follows announcements by CEB unions that they would launch trade union action against the agreements from November [...]
TRCSL to hand over Lotus Tower to Treasury-owned company
The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) will sign a management agreement with and hand over the running of the Colombo Lotus Tower to a fully Treasury-owned company with an independent Board of Directors. The Board will have nominees of TRCSL which is the owner of the asset. As the sector regulator, the TRCSL [...]
Kushinagar welcomes Lankan delegation
Minister Namal Rajapaksa led a delegation comprising four state ministers, government officials and nearly 100 Buddhist monks on the first international flight to the Kushinagar airport on October 20 Vap Full Moon Poya Day. On their arrival in Kushinagar from Colombo, the Sri Lankan delegation attended an Abhidhamma Day event which had Prime Minister Narendra [...]
Rs. 85 billion tunnel project: Irrigation Ministry responds to ST story – Right of reply
The Ministry of Irrigation has sent the following response to the news item headlined; ‘Controversy looms over ADB-funded Rs. 85 billion tunnel project’ in the Sunday Times last week (October 17). The ministry states: The 96.5km-long ‘North Central Main Canal Project’ is the largest eco-friendly irrigation development project currently being implemented by the Government with [...]
CPC recommends fuel price hike instead of tax reduction
The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) has recommended that a fuel price revision was the only option, instead of removing tax and keeping prices under control, its Chairman Sumith Wijesinghe told the Sunday Times. The Corporation’s position was conveyed to Energy Minister Udaya Gammmanpila at a meeting between CPC and ministry officials on Friday. Mr Wijesinghe [...]
Meeladun Nabi celebrations at Pak HC
The Pakistan High Commission in Sri Lanka celebrated the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday (Meeladun Nabi) on Friday. Pic by Indika Handuwala
First week in school: More focus on psycho-social recreation than academic activities
For primary students of both government and government-approved private schools, which are reopening tomorrow, the first week will mainly focus on creating a positive atmosphere and getting both students and teachers to gradually adapt to the academic process. A guide with a list of psycho-social activities has been prepared by the Education Ministry’s counselling unit [...]
More native flowering plants face extinction
Sri Lanka has published its updated list of threatened plant species last month after a nine year gap. The National Red List of the Conservation Status of the Flora was made known at a virtual ceremony by the Ministry of Environment and by experts involved in compiling it. This latest edition shows 48.4% of flowering [...]
Vaccines and immunity under the microscope
A vaccine booster or a 3rd dose, what is the difference? What is the best way forward in this regard, considering research carried out across the world as well as in Sri Lanka? These are the questions and much more on immunity that Consultant Immunologist, Dr. Rajiva de Silva, attached to the Medical Research Institute [...]
COVID-hit family in April infected by strain in Egypt, KDU study reveals
A family of six including a two-year-old girl falls like dominoes in the face of the onslaught of COVID-19, just before and soon after the New Year this April. Was it the Delta variant that was gaining dominance, surpassing all others in early April? It was not so in the case of this family, a [...]
Pfizer jabs for O/L students begin
Here are the highlights of the media briefing at the Health Promotion Bureau on Friday chaired by Director Dr. Ranjith Batuwanthudawe. The Education Ministry’s Additional Secretary L.M.D. Dharmasena: Almost 60% of the 18-19 year-old schoolchildren (in the Advanced Level classes) in the Colombo district have been vaccinated, with successful programmes in Piliyandala, Homagama, Colombo and [...]
‘Gathering’ shuns ‘brimming’ Minneriya
Wild elephant numbers drop from 400 before Moragahakanda Project to 2 in early October this year If quick action is not taken Sri Lanka will kill wildlife wonder, lose millions from tourism & pave way for increased HEC There were 400 wild elephants relishing the tender grass while the babies gambolled and the young bulls [...]
The tragedy of the babies – was a rare twin a victim of starvation?
Chilling are the details of what happens to elephant-calves in the scenario where the herds do not have access to their annual, long-lasting feast on the grasslands of Minneriya. When the elephant mothers do not have enough food, they will not have adequate milk for their suckling calves. Usually, calves suckle exclusively for about one [...]
Why didn’t SLEDB go with Moratuwa students’ winning concept for Dubai Expo 2020?
“One of the worst”: This is how some visitors to Expo 2020 Dubai described Sri Lanka’s pavilion at the mega event. And the brouhaha over just how mediocre the stall looked was heightened by a group of students from the Moratuwa University Architecture Faculty’s Department of Integrated Design claiming to have conceptualised a pavilion so [...]
Once pristine Rambakan Oya waters made unfit for consumption
Athick layer of toxin-fueled algae that covered the Rambakan Oya last month has been attributed to pesticides and fertiliser used when the catchment area above the reservoir was cleared for maize farming. Dangerous levels of cyanobacteria, algae, and cyanotoxins were deteriorating the water of the reservoir bordering the Badulla, Monaragala and Ampara Districts, said a [...]
Walkways for recreation; muddy roads for daily grind
The main bus stand at Gunasinghapura has served as Colombo’s bus transport hub for decades. Thousands of commuters use this main bus stand on a daily basis. The bus stand has suffered from years of neglect, however, and is now in a sad and dilapidated state. The massive plaque that was put up when the [...]
Pick of the pix
FROM OUR READERS Shutterbugs out there, we would once again appreciate your contributions to this picture corner. Please send your captioned photograph along with your name, and the location of the photograph, to: pictures@sundaytimes.wnl.lk, We would also appreciate if you mention the camera or cellphone that was used.
Antivenom unavailable for common viper strikes
Bites from either highly venomous or mildly venomous snakes have become common in the suburbs but antivenom is not available in the country’s hospitals to treat strikes from some species such as the hump-nosed pit viper. Those bitten by this species could suffer kidney injury, or even death. Antivenom, also called antivenin, is largely imported [...]
Workers await chance to move without hindrance
Sri Lankan workers who depend on public buses and trains will feel relieved that restrictions on travel between provinces are being lifted on Sunday, October 31. This would also make things easier for those who need to go to hospitals, and for students and their parents. About 3,000 private buses and 3,000 Sri Lanka Transport [...]
Farmers find mid-season yields in successful green gram crop
Paddy cultivators in the Puttalam District have reaped a bumper green gram harvest in the middle of the Yala and Maha seasons. Mrs Tharangika Shyamali, Deputy Director of Agriculture, Puttalam District said they cultivated acres of green gram this year in paddy fields. The sowing of green gram in paddy fields, with minimal or no [...]
Met Dept. warns of showers with severe lightning
Showers accompanied by severe lightning will be experienced in some parts of the country with the onset of the inter monsoon condition, the Meteorological Department warned. Rains can be expected mainly in the central part of the country, Northern, North Western, Uva and Eastern Provinces, the Duty Meteorologist said. Strong winds and thunderstorms can be [...]
Water bodies heavily polluted by heavy metals, new study reveals
Evidence continues to build regarding the dismal quality of Sri Lanka’s water bodies: a new scientific study around Kerawalapitiya and Muthurajawela has found canals to be heavily contaminated with high concentrations of heavy metals. The environmental impact assessment (EIA) report on the proposed 350MW regasified LNG plant at Kerawalapitiya has been released for public comment. [...]
Dairy industry fears collateral damage from cattle slaughter ban
The bill to amend laws to ban cattle slaughter was approved by the cabinet earlier this week causing an uproar between policymakers, experts, religious groups, and farmers. In September last year, the Government proposed to ban cattle slaughter, claiming that the move was necessary to improve agriculture and dairy production. The domestic cattle population has [...]
Focus on health workers’ mental well-being
To mark World Mental Health Day, and highlight the significance of mental health amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, a one-day workshop was organised at the Nuwara Eliya General Hospital under the guidance of its Mental Health Specialist, Dr Malsha de Silva. A photo competition was hosted simultaneously for hospital staff to highlight their talent and [...]