Quick Look

Girl seeks help

B. V. Akesha Madurangee Pramodya Premaratne (12), daughter of Upali Premaratne, a Samurdhi beneficiary from Thanakolawatte, Hakbellawaka, Yatiyantota is suffering from bone cancer and receiving medical treatment from Cancer Hospital, Maharagama.

Specialist doctor Damayanthi Peiris who is treating her there has recommended urgent bone transplant surgery to save her life. This surgery is to be performed at Apollo Hospital, Madras and the estimated cost is in the region of 2 million rupees.

This poor family seeks financial assistance from kind hearted general public to cure the disease of their daughter studying at Grade Seven, National School, Yatiyantota.

Donations may be directed to account number 207-059495-3 at People's Bank branch, Yatiyantota.

Drought dries up tea cultivators' hopes

G. A. Gunasena Ginigathena special correspondent

Severe drought prevailing in the Ginigathena area has destroyed its tea cultivation and cash crops.

Several tea lands owned by the tea smallholders of the Ginigathena area have also been destroyed. As there has been no rain in the Ginigathena area since several weeks water springs and wells have dried up.

Residents have to fetch water for drinking and household purposes from distant places.

Meanwhile, the Ambagamuwa Pradeshiya Sabha supplies water to the residents of the Ginigathena town in bowsers. Tea smallholders of the area who have been badly affected by the drought said the crisis of the tea cultivation has doubled with the present predicament.

The affected tea smallholders appeal to the Government to take steps to compensate them for the damage of their tea cultivations.

Beach park in Hambantota

Raja Waidyasekera Tissamaharama special corr.

A beach park will be set up in Hambantota in an extent of 27 acres.

A bathing spot will also be set up while the old public library will be used as a museum. Facilities for beach sports will be provided and stalls will be set up to sell ornamental goods, food and fruits.

The ancient Dutch cemetery and the mosque will be preserved.

Girl dies of chickenpox

Sumapthipala Deeyagahage Southern Province Roving correspondent

A 14-year old schoolgirl died of chickenpox at the Karapitiya General Hospital recently.

G. K. Ayesha Sanjeewani Piyasinghe is a Grade nine student of Polgahawila Dharmaraja Vidyalaya at Agaliya, Baddegama.

The inquest into the death was held by Inquirer into Sudden Deaths M. H. Boralessa on the evidence and the post mortem examination report. The Inquirer into Sudden Deaths returned a verdict of death caused by a severe attack of chickenpox.

Accused commits suicide

Kapila Somaratne Panadura group correspondent

An accused in a criminal case pending for trial before Panadura Provincial High Court Judge Malanie Gunaratne committed suicide by hanging.

On the last date of the trial, the Judge issued a warrant for the arrest of Liyanage Don Piyaratne of Moragahena as he was not present in Court.

Moragahena Police who went in search of him, found him dead hanging from a tree.

Moragahena police OIC Thusara de Silva did not forward the warrant returnable report to Court.

The Judge issued a notice on him. He told the Court that the accused was found dead.

The case was concluded after filing the certificate of death in the case record.

Snake bite deaths rise

S.M. Wijayaratne, Kurunegala Corr.

The number of snake bite deaths has gone up during the past two years, an Environment and Natural Resources Ministry survey revealed.

Kurunegala Assistant Director of Environmental Affairs R.M. Jayatissa said 1,000 persons are reported to have died of snake bites last year. Environment Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka has launched a special project to find ways of minimising the rate of snake bite deaths with the help of Ayurvedic physicians and other health authorities.

Anniversary celebrations

The 25th anniversary of Moratuwa Dhammanikethanava Scholarship and Social Service Foundation and the awarding of the Scholarships for 2009 will be held tomorrow at the 'Ratna Prasadaya' of the International Buddhist Centre.

Chancellor of the University of Sri Jayawardhanapura. Most Ven. Professor Bellanvila Wimalarathana Nayaka Thera, will be the chief guest.

Monthly lecture series

The monthly lecture of the Royal Asiatic Society of Sri Lanka will be held on February 24 at 5.00 p.m. at the Gamini Dissanayake Auditorium of the Mahaweli Centre, 96, Ananda Coomaraswamy Mawatha, Colombo 7. The title of the lecture is 'An Analysis of meat eating with reference to the Tripitaka' (Tripitakaye dakvena Thrikoti Parishuddha Mansaya) presented by Ven. Dr. Wilegoda Ariyadeva Thera.

The lecture is open to the public.

Health camp

A health camp organised by the Colombo Jaycees in collaboration with the International Chamber of Sri Lanka Jaycees will be held tomorrow at Waragu Hospital, Dickoya, Hatton.

Over 1,000 patients will be provided free medical treatment. Six hundred spectacles will also be given free to the needy at an eye-screening camp.

Yoga lecture, demonstration

The Lions Club of Colombo Central District 306 B1 and Kingston Yoga Kendra of Kingston College International will present a public lecture with Yoga Demonstrations on 'Stop Diabetes and Stress' through Yogic Asanas and Breathing on March 7 from 4.30 pm to 7.30 pm at New Katiresan Hall, Bambalapitiya, Colombo 4.

The lecture and Yoga Demonstrations will be conducted by Dr. T.N. Manjunath and Ajay N. Waikar of Vivekananda Yoga University, Bangalore.

Homeguard in jumbo tragedy

Digamadulla correspondent

A homeguard was arrested by Maha Oya police in the Ampara district for shooting an elephant.

Blood donation at Mt Lavinia

A blood donation campaign organised by residents of Huludagoa Road, Mount Lavinia will be held on February 23 at 9 a.m. at Sri Sugatha Dhamma Institute, Temple Road, Mount Lavinia.

Blood donors are invited to participate.

Candidates for SLAS Class III

The Public Service Commission has approved the recruitment of 134 candidates to SLAS Class III with effect from March 2 on the results of the open competitive examination held on January 19, 2008.

Names of the 134 candidates can be accessed through www.psc.govt.lk.

Appointment letters have been posted to the candidates.

Drowned youths' bodies found

Indika POLKOTUWA

The bodies of two youth who drowned in the Victoria reservoir were found by Navy divers yesterday morning.

The two victims are Hemantha Pradeep Kumara, 16, of Teldeniya and W. S. Dharmasena, 16, of Makuldeniya.

Both were students of Teldeniya National College.

According to police, the two met with the tragedy when they had gone for a bath to the reservoir with four others.

Teldeniya police are investigating.

Public assistance to trace suspect

Police Headquarters seek public assistance to trace a suspect who has escaped custody on February 2. The details of the person is as follows:

Name: Widana Gamage Sampath Chaminda alias Kasun.

Address: Pansale Watta, Mawella, Imaduwa.

Registered address: 312/2 E, Donald Estate, Suriyapaluwa, Kadawatha.

Date of birth: 1975.04.18.

NIC No. 751094361V.

Employment: Army deserter.

Further details are available with the Colombo Police Headquarters on 2451636, 2451634 or fax 2321838.

Nabbed with forged 2000 rupee notes

Rafik Jalaldeen

The CID nabbed a suspect together with 14 forged 2,000 rupee notes on Thursday evening in Mihindupura, Battaramulla.

Police spokesman SSP Ranjith Gunasekera said a suspect producing fake currency note was arrested by the CID along with 14 faked 2,000 rupee notes.

"The CID also seized the equipment used to forge the currency," he added. The CID is investigating.

Death of Mrs. Sopinona

Mrs. Sopinona passed away yesterday. She was the mother of Tharuni Journalist Palika Dilrukshi.

Her remains are lying at her residence No. 588, Welihinda, Godalla, Kaduwela. Cortege leaves residence for burial at the family burial grounds on February 22.

Death of ex-ANCL employee

Isuru T. Malawaraarachchi, a former employee at Lake House died after a brief illness at the Gampaha Hospital yesterday. He was 67 years and was serving as a correspondent for Dinamina Editorial.

He leaves his wife Kusumawathi Dahanayake and sons Bharatha Malawaraarachchi who was a Journalist at the Daily News Editorial and Bhasura Malawaraarachchi.

T. Malawaraarachchi served at the Dinamina Editorial for 20 years.

His remains are lying at the Jayantha Funeral Parlour in Gampaha. The funeral of T. Malawaraarachchi will take place on February 22 at the Kasagahawatta Public Cemetery in Gampaha at 4.00 p.m.

New hospital for Karaitivu

The new Karaitivu Divisional Hospital was declared open by President's Co-ordinator, Ampara District K. Iniyabharathi.

M.I.M. Hisbullah, Minister of Health Eastern Province and K. Iniyabarathi, President's Co-ordinator Ampara district were the chief guests.

DMO Dr. Ajantha Suresh presided at the opening ceremony held on Sunday.

Dr. Navarathnarajah, Minister of Agriculture, Eastern Province and Rocki Stephen Mabooka Engineering Consultant, Merlin also spoke.

Merlin an NGO spent Rs. 84.2 million to construct this hospital. The land was gifted by Prof. Dr. T. Varakunam, Chancellor, Eastern University.