In brief

Abishekem festival

The annual Abishekem Festival of Captains Garden Sri Bale Selva Vinayaga Moorthy Temple, Maradana will be held from June 28 to July 9.

Special poojas will be held to bless the country.

Special Homam, Pooja and Theeparathana will be performed in the morning and evening daily.

Religious speeches will also be held.

Technology transfer workshop

A one-day technology transfer workshop on 'Flavoured and Diary Milk (eclairs) hard-boiled toffee manufacture organised by the Technical Services Division of the Industrial Development Board will be held on June 28 at the Technical Services Division Industrial Development Board, Katubedda.

Those who are willing to participate for the training program should register at the Technical Services Division of the Industrial Development Board on or before June 26.

Pinkama for Forces' personnel

A pahan pinkama to invoke blessings on war heroes, disabled soldiers and Armed Forces personnel organised by the Ranaviru Seva Authority will be held on June 19 at the Kalutara Bodhi Shrine.

Organisers request Sri Lankans to participate in this pahan poojawa by lighting oil lamps.

Four dengue ‘breeders’ remanded

Kapila SOMARATNE, and S. Ranasinghe

Panadura Magistrate Thushara Rajasinghe remanded four people in Paraththa, Panadura for allowing dengue mosquitoes to breed in their lands.

One hundred and three dengue patients have been reported while three have died in the Panadura MOH area.

Meanwhile, 21 dengue patients have been reported in the Hanguranketha area during the last few days, sources said.

Public sector to be strengthened

Shirley WIJESINGHE

Over 35,000 teachers go on leave daily neglecting their responsibilities towards the future generation, Western Provincial Chief Minister Prasanna Ranatunga said.

He was addressing a ceremony organized yesterday to grant promotion appointments to 120 minor employees in the Grade 111 Management assistants’ service.

The UNP Government failed to fill government vacancies to provide employment, he pointed out.

One dies of rat fever

Indika POLKOTUWA

health officials have warned about the possible spread of leptospirosis (rat fever) in Matale following the death of one patient and the identification of 35 others who had contracted the disease in the district during the last few weeks.

Provincial Director of Health Services Dr. Shanthi Samarasinghe said the patients detected were from Dambulla, Galewela and Wilgamuwa. She requested the public having fever for over three days to seek treatment from a Government hospital without trying home remedies.

Armed men rob house

Indika POLKOTUWA

Two armed men on a motorcycle had stormed a house at Kandenuwara, Rattota on Wednesday night and escaped with cash and jewellery valued at nearly Rs. 35,000 after threatening the inmates at gunpoint.

Matale Police is investigating.

Husband kills bedridden wife

Indika POLKOTUWA

A father of one has surrendered to the Kadugannawa police after killing his wife, who had been bedridden for nearly three years with an acute illness, by slashing her neck with a knife.

The victim is S. G. Karunawathie (66) of Parakadaella, Siyambalagoda. Kadugannawa police is conducting further investigations.

Citihealth Imports (Pvt) Ltd donated pharmaceutical items worth more than Rs. 500,000 to Healthcare and Nutrition Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva recently for the welfare of the IDPs in the North.