News
Home » NewsForest fire: Natural or arson?
This is not Hawaii’s Maui Country where devastating wildfires have killed at least 80 people, but Thabbowa in the Puttalam District. On Friday afternoon, a raging wildfire there destroyed more than 300 acres of forest cover and killed many animals. Initial investigations point to the possibility of arson by parties trying to corral escaping wildlife. [...]
Govt. to buy emergency power from private sector
The ongoing drought conditions have inflicted a double blow on the Government forcing it to approve the purchase of emergency power supplies and consider a proposal to pay compensation to thousands of farmers. The Cabinet this week approved a Power and Energy Ministry proposal to buy emergency power of 100Mw a day for six months [...]
Provinces received only half of health budget allocations, audit report reveals
Provincial administrations received only 50-60 percent of the budgetary allocations every year for the health sector and this brought about a situation where they had to depend on limited financial resources to improve and maintain better health facilities, an audit report reveals. “The financial allocation of Rs 2,299 million for the health sector had been [...]
Significant shortfall in revenue: Treasury tells state bodies to curtail expenditure
Revenue performances for this year have not been in line with expected targets and there has been a “significant” shortfall in the revenue performance this year, the Treasury has conceded. In a circular, Treasury Secretary K.M. Mahinda Siriwardene instructed government institutions to stick to the stringent expenditure control measures until further notice as the Government [...]
About 3.9 million Lankans are food insecure: UNICEF
Some 3.9 million Sri Lankans are moderately food insecure with more than 10,000 households facing severe food insecurity, according to the latest situation report issued by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). The report says that about 2.9 million children need humanitarian assistance to access lifesaving nutrition, health, education, water and sanitation, protection, and social [...]
SLPP secretary says this is not the right time for 13A expansion
The Sri Lanka Podu Jana Peramuna (SLPP) has decided to take the position that ‘this is not the best time to expand on the 13th Amendment”, to the Constitution. The position of the SLPP would be conveyed to President Ranil Wickremesinghe-led Government officially on Tuesday, General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam told the Sunday Times yesterday. The [...]
Arson suspected in Thabbowa wildfire
Two teams of wildlife officers have been sent to the area believed to be the starting point of the fire to carry out investigations to learn how the fire within the Thabbowa Wildlife Sanctuary occurred, Karuwalagaswewa wildlife ranger D. Ramasinghe said. He said the teams were carrying out investigations to learn how the fire had [...]
Minister seeks cabinet approval for appointments to Power Sector Reforms Secretariat
Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara has sought Cabinet approval to appoint senior officials to the Power Sector Reforms Secretariat (PSRS) to implement institutional reforms. According to a Cabinet paper, the PSRS will be assigned responsibilities for the implementation and monitoring of the reform process and the coordination of professional works assigned to the consultants [...]
Southern farmers’ drought woes highlight need for proper water management
Agriculture Ministry conducts survey on losses suffered by farmers Power minister says Samanalawewa water is mainly for power generation Expert recommends inclusion of power sector stakeholders in farmers’ meetings By Sandun Jayawardana As the drought conditions continue, a belated decision by the Cabinet to release the maximum amount of water from the Samanalawewa reservoir [...]
Gaps in water allocations and the importance of an apex body in managing water resources
By Romitha Wickramasinghe On the evening of August 7, the Cabinet approved transferring water from the Samanalawewa reservoir to the Udawalawa reservoir to support the urgent agricultural water requirements of thousands of farmers who cultivated paddy and other field crops in the Yala season. The decision was the result of a continuous struggle by the [...]
Health sector crisis: What the expert panel did not find
Of the 15 cases, panel explains only two cases; no comment on other 13 cases Unpublicised terms of reference focus on allergic reactions, not on drug quality Doubts continue, nine undisclosed patient incidents remain without probe By Namini Wijedasa A Health-Ministry-appointed expert committee that inquired into recent adverse medical reactions to certain drugs administered in [...]
Aswesuma review process stops without written guidelines
The Aswesuma welfare scheme appeal process is at a standstill amid complaints and difficulties arising from insufficient guidelines in choosing the beneficiaries. Development Officers Service Union Secretary Chandana Sooriyaarachchi said development officers handling the task of identifying bona fide beneficiaries from the nearly one million appeals discontinued the task on Wednesday, citing difficulties due to [...]
NMRA admits quality failures of some imported drugs with registration waivers
The National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) revealed this week that some products for which it granted “waivers of registration” (WoRs) had, after import and use, failed quality tests. These are “bupivacaine hydrochloride in dextrose injection USP 5mg/ml” and “propofol injection 500 mg/50 ml—both of which the Sunday Times previously reported on. The others are “prednisolone [...]
Suicides are unpredictable, not unpreventable
By Renishka Fernando The number of suicides has been fluctuating between 3,000 and 3,500 a year for the past 10 years, with an average of eight deaths or more every day. In the first quarter of 2023, there were 816 deaths by suicide, according to Police. In 2021 and 2022, there were 3,279 and 3,074 [...]
Dried-out watering holes prompt wildlife parks to consider brief closure
The Wildlife Department is awaiting the Government’s response to its proposal that the wildlife parks affected by the drought be temporarily shut down for visitors. Ranjan Marasinghe, Acting Director General of the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC), told the Sunday Times that they are awaiting a policy decision from the Ministry of Wildlife and Forest [...]
Micro irrigation tech can help raise agri-yields: Experts
By Kasun Warakapitiya Moves by the Israeli Government to share agricultural expertise in Sri Lanka through a proposed centre for excellence in the transfer of agricultural technology have been welcomed by local experts. The use of micro-irrigation techniques, which have already been used in limited ways, is one of the key attractions that the experts [...]
Scrap man fined and told to clean the beach
Story and pix by Thusitha Kumara de Silva A collector and trader of scrap items has been arrested for dumping scrap items in to the sea, a Beruwala fisheries inspection officer said. He said they had found the man sorting out scrap items which could be sold to make profit and dumping the unwanted scrap [...]
Perahera tuskers get new clothes
The presentation of garments for tuskers taking part in the annual Esala perahera took place at the Dalada Maligawa in the presence of Diyawadana Nilame Pradeep Nilanga Dela on Friday. The garments were donated by businesses, government agencies and well-wishers. The preparations are underway to hold the Kandy Esala Perahera from August 21 to 31. [...]
13 PT-6 planes grounded after deadly crash
The fleet of 13 PT-6 aircraft would remain grounded until initial investigations are completed by the Sri Lanka Air Force board of officers with expertise in aircraft accident investigations. This follows the crash that killed Wing Commander Herath Mudiyanselage Tharindu Kanishka Herath and engineering officer Peshan Warnasooriya on Monday, August 7. Eyewitness accounts and statements [...]
Expert points to “very dangerous” elephant abuse at Pinnawela
Says animals suffer from stress and behavioural changes due to tourist activities; aggressive troublemakers are chained heavily and kept hidden in a barn By Kumudini Hettiarachchi As environmentalists question whether Sri Lanka did the right thing by agreeing to repatriate Muthu Raja to Thailand, an expert turns the searchlight on the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage [...]
Water minister cites Rs. 350bn loan to justify tariff hike
Disputes Champika’s claims over profit The Water Supply Ministry has rejected opposition Parliamentarian Patali Champika Ranawaka’s claims that the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) has increased tariff rates, despite making profits. “The NWSDB is not making a profit. His claim is unfortunately inaccurate and misleading,” Water Supply Minister Jeevan Thondaman told the Sunday [...]
Education, re-educated; no term tests, only one exam for a year
More students carry about 6kg of weight on their backs, that will be transformed to a modular or digital process ADB will provide aid for new system; 50 per cent of marks from exam, 50 per cent from assessments By Nadia Fazlulhaq Next year will be about trial and testing for education authorities as they [...]
Excise officers and Police clash over drug-raid-chase shooting and arrests
Excise Dept says police action allowed drug traffickers to escape police say Excise officers were arrested while trying to flee the scene By Sandun Jayawardana As the fallout continues from this week’s arrest of four Excise Department officers in relation to a shooting incident during a drug raid in Bambalapitiya, Excise officers are calling on the [...]
Making it easier for harassed tourists to alert cops
By Ryan Casiechetty A string of incidents of harassment of tourists and theft of their belongings has prompted authorities to focus on their protection. Among the measures to be taken to ensure the safety of tourists are a mobile app to be introduced by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, increased coordination with the Tourism [...]
Colombo owl count finds 30 birds
By Kasun Warakapitiya A survey on the owl population in the city of Colombo began last week. It is being undertaken by a 64-member field ornithology group from the Department of Zoology at the University of Colombo. Students are also involved. It is expected to end in two weeks. The survey began on Friday, August [...]
Thabbowa Wildlife Sanctuary fire believed to have killed many animals
A sudden fire which occurred within the Thabbowa Wildlife Sanctuary has burned down trees, shrubs and grasslands of an extent over 300 acres, Puttalam District Assistant Director of Wildlife, Eranda Gamage said. The ranger of the Karuwalagaswewa Wildlife Range Office, D Ramasinghe said the fire occurred during the afternoon hours on Friday. It had taken [...]
Vegetable farmers in Anamaduwa devastated by pest epidemic
Story and pix by Hiran Priyankara Jayasinghe Vegetable cultivation in the Kattukachchi area in Anamaduwa has been severely affected by a pest epidemic. One of the area’s farmers said he spent Rs 1.5 million on his brinjal cultivation including investing in pesticides, which were of low quality. Only 3000 kilos have been harvested from the [...]
Serenading Lord Murugan with music and dance
Story and pix by M A Pushpa Kumara The annual Vel Festival of the Murugan Temple in Slave Island was held last week. The festival is dedicated to Lord Murugan “Kataragama Deviyo” who is also known as Skanda, and Arumugan. During the festival, devotees carry the statue of the God within the kovil premises. While [...]
Powerline dispute ends with estate owners foregoing compensation
By Niranjala Ariyawansha The controversy over the laying of a power transmission line across a private tea estate at Siripagama in Ratnapura ended on Friday, but the project has been delayed by a year, CEB officials said. The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) mediated on Friday to settle the long-standing conflict between the [...]
J’Pura uni third-best university in Sri Lanka: Webometrics ranking
The University of Sri Jayewardenepura was ranked third-best university in Sri Lanka, according to the Webometrics World University Ranking. The Webometrics ranking considers a number of factors, including impact, openness, and excellence, and the university has excelled in these areas. Webometrics ranks 30,000 institutions. According to the data, the University of SJP has improved its [...]