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Home » NewsGangaramaya Perahera attracts large crowds
The 47th annual Navam Perahera of Colombo’s Gangaramaya Temple was held yesterday, with religious observances preceding the colourful pageant that attracts a large number of devotees, tourists and locals. The highlight was the placement of the casket carrying sacred relics on the Perahera’s lead tusker. Pic by M.A. Pushpa Kumara
Emergency coal purchase approved to avert power crisis
Decision follows failed quality test on 60,000‑tonne shipment By Damith Wickremasekera The Cabinet has given the go-ahead for the emergency purchase of coal for the Lakvijaya power plant in a bid to avert a possible energy crisis in the months ahead, a senior government source said. The decision was taken after coal stocks purchased from [...]
State law officers unanimously denounce attack on AG
By Ranjith Padmasiri The Attorney General’s Department Legal Officers’ Association has unanimously passed a resolution taking notice and expressing grave concern over the recent “vituperative, unfounded, repeated personal attacks” on Attorney General Parinda Ranasinghe. The resolution—adopted on Friday by the association under its president, Deputy Solicitor General Madhawa Tennakoon, and secretary, Senior State Counsel Mihiri [...]
Judge tells CID to list Ed. Ministry Secretary if evidence supports
Nugegoda Magistrate Ruwandika Marasinghe has ordered the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to name Education Ministry Secretary Nalaka Kaluwewa as a suspect and produce him in court if there is evidence of his involvement in the incident where a web address directing students to an adult website was included in English Language Modules 1, 2 and [...]
CC to decide Tuesday on President’s AG pick
The Constitutional Council (CC) on Tuesday will take for consideration the name of Senior Deputy Auditor General L.S.P. Jayaratne, whose name has been resubmitted by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to be appointed as the Auditor General, after being rejected earlier. Ms Jayaratna’s name was submitted after the name of Open University bursar W.M.K.P.A. Wickremesinghe was [...]
President’s Office agrees to reveal vehicle details after RTI appeal
The Presidential Secretariat this week agreed before the Right to Information Commission to release information regarding the allocation of state-owned vehicles to its staff. The information required to be released includes the name and designation of officials using them as well as the make, model and vehicle numbers. The Secretariat had previously refused to release [...]
CEB’s demise just one step away; tariff policy the hurdle
By Namini Wijedasa Four out of five steps needed for the dissolution of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) have now been fulfilled, but the last requirement—obtaining Cabinet approval for the national electricity policy and national electricity tariff policy—is yet to be completed, the Sunday Times learns. This stipulation is likely to be met in mid-February [...]
Easter Sunday attacks: Defence counsel withdraw from Trial-at-Bar case
By S. Rubatheesan Counsel representing all 24 accused in the Trial-at-Bar into the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks have decided to withdraw from cases due to difficulties they face in view of the expeditious nature of trial proceedings. On January 22, four lawyers – Attorneys K. S. Ratnavale, H. Ghazali Hussain, Rushdhie Habeeb and Niranjan Siriwardena, [...]
Oversight committee calls for faster compensations for Ditwah-hit farmers
By Dilushi Wijesinghe A Parliamentary Sectoral Oversight Committee called for faster and more structured compensation mechanisms for farmers and agricultural communities affected by Cyclone Ditwah, as concerns mount over the pace of recovery and the lack of clarity on restoration timelines. The Sectoral Oversight Committee on Environment, Agriculture and Resource Sustainability took up the impact [...]
Navam Perahera illuminates Colombo
The Gangaramaya temple’s 48th Navam Perahera took place yesterday with colourful new dance items and floats depicting important Buddhist historical events. The perahera is one of the country’s main Buddhist cultural events and attracts large crowds. This year’s perahera had dance items by eight Indian, Burmese and Chinese dancing teams apart from local dance segments [...]
Exposition of the Buddha’s relics at Gangaramaya from February 4
A seven-day exposition of sacred relics of the Buddha will take place at the Gangaramaya Temple, Colombo, coinciding with Independence Day celebrations. The relics which had been discovered in the Aravalli region of Gujarat will be exhibited from February 04 to 11. The relics are scheduled to be brought into the country through Bandaranaike International [...]
Naval prodigy Lt Koyan Chamitha laid to rest with full military honours
Lieutenant Koyan Chamitha (28), the first from the Sri Lanka Navy to successfully complete the coveted U.S. Navy SEAL training who passed away unexpectedly, was laid to rest with full military honours on Friday. Lieutenant Chamitha who was attached to the Special Boat Squadron (SBS) of the Sri Lanka Navy was based at Welisara Navy [...]
GMOA to step up trade union action, citing Govt’s failure to respond
By Sajeniya Sathanandan The Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) yesterday resolved to intensify their trade union action to press ahead with their demands, claiming that the government and the Health Minister have not invited it for talks or shown sensitivity toward the issues. During an emergency committee meeting, the union decided to involve specialist grade [...]
Indian Republic Day commemorated in Sri Lanka
India’s 77th Republic Day was commemorated in Colombo on Monday, January 26 with official and cultural events hosted by the High Commission of India. The main ceremony was held at India House, where High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka Santosh Jha hoisted the Indian national flag and inspected a Guard of Honour. He also [...]
SLCOG in battle to halt preventable maternal deaths
While lauding Lanka’s low Maternal Mortality Rate, Prof. Rukshan Fernandopulle highlights post-partum haemorrhage and self-harm for concerted action By Kumudini Hettiarachchi Inducted as the President of the Sri Lanka College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (SLCOG) on a Sunday in January, Prof. Rukshan Fernandopulle was ‘walking’ the talk the very next day. He was not [...]
‘Heavily burdened’ Grama Niladharis demand high seat in rural mechanism
By Ishu Bandara The Sri Lanka Grama Niladhari National Union (SLGNNU) has raised serious concerns over the government’s plan to establish Praja Sanwardana Sabhas (Community Development Councils), claiming the initiative could weaken the traditional village-level administrative system in favour of political interests. However, Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment Minister Upali Pannilage strongly rejected [...]
Legal basis to be laid for weaning children away from digital addiction
By Nidarshani Wickramasinghe A proposal to ban social media for children under the age of 16 has been handed to the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs by the National Child Protection Authority and is being studied. National Child Protection Authority Chairman and retired High Court Judge Inoka Ranasinghe told the Sunday Times that it [...]
Independence ceremony a nod to resilience
Sri Lankans will mark the 78th National Independence Day on Wednesday, February 4, under the theme ‘Let’s Build Sri Lanka’ in the aftermath of the Cyclone Ditwah natural disaster, which crippled the nation last November. Celebrations at Independence Square have been described as low cost. The ceremony at Independence Square is expected to begin at [...]
India Sri Lanka Friendship Association donates goods to Ditwah affected in Badulla
The India Sri Lanka Friendship Association has donated food items, essential items, bed sheets and other household items worth Rs 50 million to 250 families affected by Cyclone Ditwah in the Badulla District. The donation was handed over to Badulla District Secretary Prabath Abeywardena at the Thai Pongal festival held on Thursday. The event was [...]
Maligawa’s veteran servitors felicitated
By L B Senaratne For the first time in known history, those who have been serving the Sri Dalada Maligawa for more than fifteen years were given tokens of appreciation. 452 personnel, coming under four categories, were felicitated: those working in the inner shrine, the outer shrine, the dancers and those working in the offices [...]
Alaththi Amma, the only female servitor of the tooth relic, gets token of appreciation
By L B Senaratne The only woman among the 423 people who serve the Sri Dalada Maligawa, the Alaththi Amma who serves in the inner shrine room every Wednesday throughout the year, as well as during the perahera and all other rituals, was presented with a token of appreciation by the Maligawa at a presentation [...]
Agressive, invasive shrub smothers fields and reservoirs
Pix and text by Indika Aruna Kumara Environmental groups warn that the invasive plant known as ‘Yodha Nidikumba’ (Mimosa pigra), is rapidly engulfing the central region of the country. It is spreading rapidly in irrigation systems, reservoirs, highways, and beside roads. Farmer organisations say that in reservoirs and canals in the Kandy and Matale Districts, [...]
Agriculture Ministry’s ‘magic maize’ foil farmers
By D. Ganasiri Hettiarachchige A model maize cultivation in Alikanda area in Manthottama, Ampara, has been completely destroyed after the farmers tried out a hybrid variety of corn given by the Agriculture Ministry. The farmers lamented that five acres of maize had failed, as they were unable to obtain a harvest from the crop which [...]
Trincomalee’s Naval history being forgotten
Story and pix by Chandani Kerinda The Maritime and Naval History Museum in Trincomalee which was renovated and declared open in 2014 with financial assistance from the Government of the Netherlands has fallen into disrepair and negligence. Some of the valuable artifacts housed in the Museum have been left exposed with little or no care [...]
Rail and road damages estimated at Rs 320 billion: Government
The total damages caused to the railway and road network in the country by Cyclone Ditwah exceeds more than Rs 320 billion, according to the final estimates of the damages by the Ministry of Finance. Of this, the damage to road network including bridges is around Rs 190 billion, while the damage to the railway [...]
Two journalists who brought great value to the common person’s understanding of South Asia across borders
Their engagement with their respective interests in the region, and with journalism was 24×7. Two very different persons, but two of a kind. By Nirupama Subramanian South Asia watchers are mourning the passing of two veteran members of their tribe in the second week of January. Both were veteran journalists with storied careers, a [...]
BYD euphoria fades; JKH books City of Dreams fixed rental income for a quarter
By Kapila Bandara New sales of Chinese BYD vehicles from John Keells Holdings subsidiary JKCG Auto (Pvt) Ltd, which contributed a big chunk to attributable profit, have gone off the boil after the initial euphoria in a period of macroeconomic stability in the country. The devastating 27 November cyclone barely left a scratch on big [...]
Road accidents exact multi-billion price from Sri Lanka
By Kasun Warakapitiya The rising number of road traffic accidents causes misery for families and has a long-lasting impact on victims but also adds to the healthcare costs of Sri Lanka. Road traffic accidents have been identified as the main cause of injuries, according to the Health Ministry. One fourth of the estimated 10,000 deaths [...]
Protesters find exam unpalatable for teacher recruitment
Development officers seeking to be absorbed as permanent teachers are calling on the government to treat them with dignity and resolve longstanding grievances. Representatives of some 16,000 development officers-turned-teachers have continued a fast at Galle Face Green not far from the Presidential Secretariat for nearly a week. Some teachers have occasionally fallen ill and been [...]