Quick Look

Grade One admission interviews in August

The Education Ministry will hold interviews for grade one admissions to Government schools during the August vacation and conclude it by September.

The place of residence should be authenticated with a CD containing the electoral register for admission to leading national schools in the city and failure to do so will result in not being called for the interview, sources for Ministry of Education said.

Applications of a suspicious nature with false details and forged documents attached will be referred to the police for investigations.

Persons residing in government quarters should submit official proof, additional secretary to the Ministry N.U. Wijeratne said.

Guardianship of children will be accepted only on court orders and applications submitted by guardians certified by attorneys will be rejected.

Two killed, child critical in accident

Rafik JALALDEEN

Two women were killed and a four-year-old child was critically injured when a lorry ran over a moped, near the 28th mile post, Polonnaruwa on Wednesday evening, police spokesman SSP Ranjith Gunasekera said.

A motorcycle and a moped collided near the 28th mile post in Polonnaruwa around 6.30 pm. “Two women and a child who were in the moped had fallen on to the main road and a lorry plying in the road ran over on the moped”, he said.

Two women in the moped were killed. The child who was critically injured in the tragedy was admitted to the Polonnaruwa hospital.

One of the victims was identified as Nirosha Malgama.

The Mother of the child is among the dead.

Polonnaruwa police is investigating.

Katugastota bridge opens on Sunday

Samanthi WEERASEKERA

The commissioning of the new bridge connecting Kandy and Katugastota will be held on July 26 at 10.30 a.m. under the patronage of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

This bridge located at a prime entry point to the Kandy city will consist of four lanes and will be 130 meters long with a width of 20 meters.

Construction activities of the bridge which commenced in 2005, was undertaken by the State Development and Construction Corporation at a cost of Rs. 525 million.

Chief prelates of the Malwaththe and Asgiri Chapters, Ministers and parliamentarians will grace the occasion.

Getambe-Gannoruwa road opens

Indika POLKOTUWA

President Mahinda Rajapaksa opened the rehabilitated Getambe-Gannoruwa road in Kandy yesterday morning.

The four lane road built at a cost of Rs. 355 million under a Kuwaiti Government loan scheme will facilitate people’s routine activities by greatly easing traffic congestion on this route.

People travelling on the Colombo-Kandy road can now reach their destinations through this route without taking the circuitous route through Peradeniya junction. Central Province Governor Tikiri Kobbekaduwa, Ministers T.B. Ekanayake, Keheliya Rambukwella, Dr. Rajitha Senarathne Chief Minister Sarath Ekanayake and officials were present.

Glass of milk for students visiting House

Speaker W.J.M. Lokubandara told parliament yesterday that action will be taken shortly to provide a glass of milk to school children who visit Parliament from countrywide schools.

The Speaker said “As the parliament has no financial allocations to provide a glass of milk or refreshments to students.

I have discussed with two milk producing companies and Education Minister Susil Premajayantha to make arrangements in this regard.”

The Speaker made these remarks in response to a query raised by JVP MP Lakshman Nipunaarachchi who said hundreds of school children who come to visit Parliament have to return without even a glass of water. UK and IR

Special arrangements for Madhu festival

Rafik JALALDEEN

Special arrangements have been made for devotees attending to the first Madhu festival to be held after defeating terrorism on August 15. All devotees should fill an application form pertaining personal information for security concern.

Police spokesman SSP Ranjith Gunasekera said special arrangements have been made for devotees visiting Madhu church this year. "A special program to register personal information of devotees will be done and this process will be repeated in the coming years as well," he said.

He said devotees will be registered at the entering junction and the information will be computerised by the Army. The form can be obtained before entering the Madhu church compounded.

The form in all three languages should be filled by the leader of each group of devotees. The leader of each group should submit three copies with name list of the group members attached to the form, SSP Gunasekera said.

Ministry at new location

The Youth Empowerment and Socio Economic Development Ministry which was located at No. 43, Jawatta Road, Colombo 5 will be shifted to a new location at No. 5, Vajira Lane, Colombo 5 from today. The religious event and the official acceptance will be held at 12 p.m. on today at the new building by the Youth Empowerment and Socio Economic Development Minister and the General Secretary of Ceylon Worker's Congress Minister Arumugan Thondaman.

US Assistant Secretary of State to visit Sri Lanka

The newly appointed United States Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees, and Migration Eric P. Schwartz will arrive in Sri Lanka on July 25.

Assistant Secretary Schwartz has worked with Sri Lanka before when he served as the UN Deputy Special Envoy for Tsunami Recovery from 2005 to 2007.

During his stay, he will visit the IDP Centres in the North and meet senior Government officials and civil society representatives.

Diamond jubilee

Uru-ulla Sanasa Union Ltd in Ambanpitiya in Kegalle will celebrate its diamond jubilee on August 2, under the patronage of Sanasa Bank Chairman P. A. Kiriwandeniya. Sabaragamuwa PC Chief Minister Mahipala Herath, Provincial Council Minister of Land, Agriculture and Irrigation Shrilal Wickremasingha, Presidential Advisor Jagath Balasooriya, Sabaragamuwa PC Member Harsh Siyambalapitiya and Kegalle UC Chairman G.K. Samarasingha will participate.

Thurstan College JOBU car wash on July 15-Aug. 15

The annual 'Car Wash' of the Thurstan College J.O.B.U. commenced from July 15 to Aug. 15.

All the car wash ticket holders can get their vehicles washed at any Auto Miraj Service Centres mentioned in the ticket at any free time during this period. Past Thurstanites, the parents and the public wishing to buy tickets, can obtain it from the committee of the JOBU, Thurstan College Swimming Pool office, or P.L. Hettiarachchi on 077 3976797.

Udathalavinna Judgement today

Wasantha RAMANAYAKE

The Supreme Court will deliver the judgment in the Udathalavinna Murder Appeal today.

The Bench will comprise Chief Justice Asoka de Silva, Justice Nimal Gamini Amaratunga, Justice Jagath Balapatabendi, Justice P.A. Rathnayake and Justice Ms. Chandra Ekanayake.

The Attorney General charged 15 accused in connection with the murder of ten youths in Udathalavinna on December 5, 2001. After the hearing the Trial-at-Bar acquitted ten accused including Deputy Defence Minister Anuruddha Ratwatte and his two sons and convicted five army personnel and sentenced them to death.

The Supreme Court during the course of the appeal acquitted one accused appellant and the judgment will be delivered in connection with the four accused -appellants today.

CMC dengue eradication campaign

Shirley WIJESINGHE

The CMC will hold a dengue eradication campaign tomorrow in collaboration with Rotary District 3220 – Sri Lanka.

Addressing a media conference, Education Minister Susil Premajayanth said the CMC ‘s initiative in partnership with the private sector should be appreciated and other local bodies should also follow suit.

The Minister added that his Ministry is ready to extend fullest cooperation to any institution to control epidemics such as Dengue.

Pepper plant distribution

Matale district group corr.

Three hundred thousand pepper plants are to be distributed among the cultivators in the Matale District. Presently over 10,000 acres have been used for this cultivation in the district by about 15,000 cultivators.

The majority of the pepper cultivators are in Matale, Rattota, Ukuwela, Yatawatta and Abanganga Korale Divisional Secretariat areas.

Farmers urge big onion tax

M.A.R. Manukulasooriya, Hiriyala group correspondent

Big onion cultivators in Hiriyala, Galewela and Dambulla areas request the Government to increase the tax on the import of big onion to enable them to maintain a fixed price for big onions.

Farmers in these areas have cultivated big onions in 8,275 acres this season. The expected harvest is 66,200 metric tons, according to the Agriculture Department.