In brief

Diamond Jubilee celebration

The all Ceylon Women’s Buddhist Congress will celebrate its Diamond Jubilee at 10 a.m. on Sunday July 12 at its Headquarters 400, Bauddhaloka Mawatha.

The Congress will honour the distinguished and far-sighted Founding Mothers who established this premier organization for Buddhist women in 1949.

Quiz competition, prize-giving ceremony

Aluthkade Mosque Garden Development Society has organised General Knowledge Competition and prize-giving ceremony among the students will be held on Sunday, July 12 at 1.30 p.m. at the Muslim Religious Centre, Abdul Hameed Street, Colombo 12. Madarasathul Hassanath Principal Moulavi A.C. Abdul Wahabdeen and Moulavi M. Naushad will be the guests of honour. President of the Society Al Haj. M.J.M. Firdhouse will preside.

Blood doantion

The blood doantion campaign orgnaised by Oruwala United Welfare Society will be held at Oruwala today from 9.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m.

Oration on fluorescent sensors

Prof. M. Dayal P. de Costa, former Head, Chemistry at the University of Colombo, who has just assumed duties as Visiting Professor in Chemistry at the College of Chemical Sciences of the Institute of Chemistry Ceylon, will deliver his Professorial Oration on ‘Fluorescent Sensors’ at 4 p.m. on Friday, July 24, 2009 at the P. P. G. L. Siriwardena auditorium at Adamantane House, 341/22, Old Kotte Road, Welikada, Rajagiriya.

Bus stand in bad state

The Nuwara Eliya town main bus stand is in a deplorable state.

There are several big and small potholes which turn to mudpools during rainy days.

India releases Lankan fishermen

Shirley WIJESINGHE

The Indian Government yesterday released 107 fishermen and 20 fishing trawlers which had been taken into custody by Indian Coastal Guard for breaching Indian fishing maritime boundary in April, May and June.

According to Fisheries Ministry sources, the nine trawlers including Vishmi Duva, Landuni and Roshan Putha with 53 fishermen that were released will arrive in Sri Lanka today.

The fishermen are from Kalutara, Trincomalee and Tangalle.

The decision followed negotiation Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Minister Felix Pererahad with the Indian authorities The rest of the trawlers will be brought to the country later.

Appointment

Former CMC Commissioner Dr. Jayantha Liyanage has been appointed as the Minister to the Sri Lankan Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia. A former Deputy Chief Medical Officer of Health, in the Colombo Municipal Council, he was promoted to the post of Municipal Commissioner in 2001.

A special meeting to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Siddhalepa Company was held recently under the patronage of Export Development and International Trade Minister and Acting Posts and Telecommunications Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris at the Company premises at Ratmalana. A First-Day cover was also issued at the occasion in appreciation of the services rendered by Siddhalepa in earning large amounts of foreign exchange by exporting Siddhalepa products to many countries and also for its contribution to the field of Ayurveda. Here Prof. Peiris handing over the First Day Cover to Victor Hettigoda, Siddhalepa Group Chairman. Also in the picture are Posts and Telecommunications Deputy Minister M.S. Sellasamy and Siddhalepa Group Managing Director Asoka Hettigoda.