News in brief

Private donations for tsunami relief

Rs. 9,812.5 million has been received by the Government, Non-Governmental Organisations and others in Sri Lanka as private, foreign and local donations through banking channels towards tsunami disaster relief.

This includes Rs. 1,301.4 million received by the Government through the Central Bank and the two State commercial banks, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka said in a release yesterday.

Director General Samurdhi Authority

Ravindra Hewavitharana, a Class I officer of the Sri Lanka Administrative Service, has been appointed as the new Director General of the Samurdhi Authority of Sri Lanka, with effect from March 17.

Samurdhi and Poverty alleviation Minister Pavithra Wanniaratchi made this appointment on the instructions of President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga.

Ravindra Hewavitharana, who was formerly the Divisional Secretary of Kolonna and Opanayaka was the Director of the Rural Development Training and Research Institute, Borella, immediately prior to his assuming the duties of his new office on March 17.

Global Buddhist conference

A two day Global Buddhist Conference on 'Buddhist Humanitarian Services in Post-Tsunami Context' organised by the Buddhist Resource Centre, Sri Lanka and the Asian Buddhist Congress will be held at the BMICH on March 19 and 20.

The objective of the conference is to form a world-wide relief organisation with a Buddhist perspective and facilitate effective cooperation among International Buddhist Organisations and Sri Lankan monks engaged in relief and disaster work.

Representatives from 20 Buddhist organisations will participate at the conference due to commence today at 9.30 am.

Leopard attacks estate worker

A leopard roaming in the jungle area of Wild Life Reservation, Horton Plains National Park on March 14 had strayed into a tea block in Dayagama East Tea Estate belonging to Agrapathana Plantations Limited.

It had attacked a tea plucker who was seriously wounded and was admitted to the Nuwara Eliya Government Hospital.

The injured estate worker was identified as P. Puvalingam of Range 3, Dayagama East Estate, Nuwara Eliya.

Since the leopard is now roaming the area the authorities have adopted measures to safeguard the workers. Estate Superintendent Roshan Rajendran has reported the incident to Agrapathana Police and Wildlife officials to provide security to estate residents.

Govt to solve housing problems of poorest

Colombo March 18 (Lankapuvath) - The government has entered into a new path to settle the housing problem of the poorest of the poor people and 66,000 houses will be built for the people who are living in disorganised urban settlements within ten years.

Minister of Urban Development, Dinesh Gunawardena told Lankapuvath that action should be taken with commitment to achieve this target.

Minister Gunawardena handed over title deeds to house recipients of the Sahaspura Housing Scheme held at his Ministry recently. The Government is fully committed to successfully implement the program of providing shelter to the poorest of the poor families.

The ministry plans to allocate 1,000 acres of land for a housing project for low income urban families. The Minister said that his Ministry is committed to implement this program with the assistance of the President.