Quick Look

Over 2,500 blocks of land for war heroes

K.A. Perera Wadduwa special correspondent

Minister of Industrial Development has approved a project to grant 2,500 blocks of land to war heroes who are without permanent houses in Kalutara district.

The priority will be given to the families of war heroes who sacrificed their lives in the battlefield including disabled soldiers.

The land will be given from the Land Reclamation Commission and from Divisional Secretariat Divisions where the land is available.

It is also expected to implement a plan to grant financial aid for the construction of houses.

Robbery in Dambana

Mahaweli Systems corr.

Thieves have entered a house in Dambana Mahiyangana and stolen a television set and a stereo system while the occupants were away, according to a complaint made to the Mahiyangana Police by the house wife Rasika Nilanthi on Monday July 6.

Death of Shesha Palihakkara

One of Sinhala Cinema’s well known actors of yesteryears Shesha Palihakkara passed away yesterday at the age of 81 at the Kalubovila hospital.

Shesha Palihakkara came into prominence by playing the lead roles in the popular film Mathalang and went onto perform diverse roles in many films that followed. He was also a well known exponent of Bharatha Natya.

But perhaps it was as film producer that Shesha made his mark and became a household name. To him goes the credit of producing the first Sinhala colour film Ranmuthuduva in which he too played a starring role.

This was followed by Gatavarayo and Saravita, both box office hits. The funeral arrangements will be announced later.

Railways to take over defaulting outlets

Sri Lankan Railway has taken steps to take over defaulting sales outlets which have not paid their rentals, Superintendent of Railways (Commercial), Wijaya Samarasinghe said.

Railway authorities have already taken over four shops at the Padukka station premises and also the canteen at the Anuradhapura Station.

Honourary title for Minister Samarasinghe

Minister of Disaster Management and Human Rights Mahinda Samarasinghe was honoured with the honourary title of Jagath Keerthi Sri Deshamanya by Kalutara District Sasanarakshaka Bala Mandalaya at a felicitation ceremony held at the Auditorium, Matugama yesterday.

This ceremony was presided over by the Anunayaka of Sri Jayawardanapura Sri Kalyani Samasri Dharma Sanga Sabhava Venerable Iththapana Dhammalankara Thera, the decision to award this honourary title on the Minister was arrived at the initiative of the President of Kalutara Sasanarakshaka Bala Mandalaya Venerable Gonaduwa Gunananda Thera and the committee member of the Bala Mandalaya Venerable Madanvala Saranapala Thera in appreciation of the exemplary role played by the Minister representing Sri Lanka at the United Nations Human Rights Council meeting in defending the country before all powerful nations in the world.

Training for 6,000 rangers

The passing out parade of the rangers who have undergone training at 37 youth corps centres will take place on July 15,16,17 and 18 with the culmination of the event at Nivithigala Youth Corps Centre on July 18 presided over by the Youth Affairs Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi.

These rangers will have their training in 13 subjects including computer technology, English language, sports, cultural and aesthetic education. Nearly 6,000 rangers who have completed the course will undergo training shortly and this scheme will be supported by private sector with funds provided by the youth corps.

The second batch of the course will be recruited soon after this passing out parade, Youth Corps Director Piyathissa Ranasinghe said.

Office time table for GNs to be revised

Shirley Wijesinghe

The Government has decided to revise the office time table of Grama Niladaries (GNs ) with effect from July 1,2009.

Under the revised time structure all GNs should be present in their offices from 8.30am to 11 am on all working days to meet the public.

The decision has been made considering complaints made by the public that some GNs were not discharging their duties properly and that they were not available to the public at the appointed dates and time, Ministry sources stressed.

According to Public Administration and Home Affairs Ministry sources,the GNs should obtain approval from the respective Divisional Secretary for any leave of absence on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays which are compulsory working days.

Arrangements will be made to make another GN act on his or her behalf in such an event of absent.

Accordingly , only Wednesday will be the day on which they could attend the Divisional Secretariat.

Grade One Admissions: Interviews shortly

Dharma Sri Abeyratne

Interviews for Grade One admissions for next year is scheduled to be conducted shortly, the Education Ministry sources said.

Under the guidance of the Education Ministry the Provincial Educational and Zonal Educational officials are presently engaging in appointing appropriate heads for the interview panels.

All steps have been taken under way to ensure transparency by the Education Ministry as the last year Grade One admissions came under fire by several parties. Accordingly, the interviews will be closely monitored to ensure regularity at interviews.

Interviews will most probably be held within next two, or three weeks. The interview panel heads will have discussions with relevant school principals on fixing dates for the interviews and then calling for letters to be sent to parents for interviews, he added.

Rajakeeya Panditha Shastrapathi Ven. Puvakgahahene Vajiragnana Thera, Chief Incumbent of the Borupana Samagipura Sama Vihara (right) has been appointed Chief Sanghanayaka of Colombo Salpitikorale and conferred the title Saddhamma Keerthi Sri Saranankara Rathanapala by the Malwathu Viharayas Karaka Maha Sangha Sabha chaired by the Most Venerable Thibbotuwawe Sri Sumangala Mahanayaka Thera of the Malwatta Maha Viharaya. Having entered the order in 1963 the Venerable Thera received his higher ordination in 1972 at the Malwatta Maha Viharaya. A graduate of Peradeniya University and a holder of a post graduated diploma in education, he was appointed a Government teacher in 1994 and functions as headmaster of Sri Vajiragnana Dharma Vidyalaya at present. He is a scholar who has specialised in Sinhala, Pali, Sankrit, English and Tamil languages.

The ‘Virumawa Surakimu’ felicitation ceremony organised by the Sewa Vanitha Unit of the Prime Minister’s office was held recently at the John De Silva Memorial Hall, Colombo. Hundred mothers of war heroes who were either missing or deceased in the fight to save the country were presented with pass books in which Rs. 1000 would be deposited monthly. Here First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa presents a bank pass book and a memento to a war heroe’s mother. Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka and Kusum Wikramanayaka are also in the picture. Picture by Lalith Weliwitagoda