Quick Look

Drought hits Mahaweli H Zone

Nawaratna Bandara Mahaweli Systems Corr.

Small rural reservoirs have dried. A severe drought prevailing over the past few months has caused this situation.

The reservoirs of Habaravaththa, Hempitiya, Hunupalagama, Kallanch- iya, Meegaswewa, Siyambaleva, Valpolagama and Vetakuluvaagama are among those affected in the Mahaweli H Zone.

Electricity scheme

Puttalam district roving corr

Work on 20 new rural electricity schemes have been started in the Anamaduwa electorate on the initiative of Deputy Speaker and Anamaduwa SLFP Chief Organiser Priyankara Jayaratne to extend electricity facilities to the rural sector.

M.A. Bakeer Markar commemoration

The SLBC will broadcast commemorative talks in all three languages on late Speaker, Governor and Minister M.A. Bakeer Markar on September 10 to mark his 13th death anniversary.

The Sinhala talk on September 10 at 10.15 am will be by Transport Minister Dullas Alahapperuma, English at 6.30 pm on the English service by Sam Wijesingha and Tamil at 9.45 pm on the Tamil service by Prof. M.A.M. Shukri, former Senator Mashroor Mowlana will also deliver a special talk on the SLBC Muslim service at 7.05 pm on this day.

More visas for Haj pilgrims this year

Rafik Jalaldeen

The Foreign Ministry is duty bound and willing to come forward to face challenges and resolve the problems concerning the Ministry.

Speaking to the media after issuing gratis Umrah visas to members of the Muslim community at the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute of International Relations and Strategic Studies, Foreign Affairs Minister Rohitha Bogollagama said.

He was able to obtain 100 gratis visas to perform Umrah after lengthy discussion with the Ambassador Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) in Colombo. ”I was asked to resolve the problem which was faced by the Muslim community in Sri Lanka in obtaining visa to perform Umrah during Ramadhan 2009. Though it did not concern the Foreign Ministry it was successfully achieved,” he said.

“We have strong traditional ties with the KSA. The President has built up a strong relationship with the KSA and the hierarchy of the KSA. As a gesture of goodwill with Sri Lanka, 100 free visas were issued for pilgrims,” he said.

An opportunity had been given to the pilgrims who intended to perform the Umrah for the first time. The pilgrims were selected on the guidance of Muslim leaders via the agencies.

School needs attention

Matale district group corr.

Kandalama D.S. Senanayake Primary School in Galewela Educational Zone is in a deplorable state due to the lack of physical resources.

This school was constructed for the benefit of the children in the area at the beginning of Kandalama Colony. In that period the school was very popular among parents and children.

Mini Co-ops open today

Three Mini Co-op City centres will be opened at Thurukkaragama, Konwewa and Upuldeniya in the NCP by Provincial Minister H. B. Semasinghe today.

Second National symposium

The second National Symposium Food for the Nation Through Innovative Agriculture organized by the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ruhuna will be held at the Faculty at Mapalana, Kamburupitiya, on September 10.

Academics, researchers, policy makers and other professionals will participate in the symposium that will also take up sub themes, agriculture and environment, food and livestock, innovation and technologies and economic and dissemination intervention.

Commemoration

The Moor's Islamic Cultural Home under the auspices of the Da'wa and Religions Committee will commemorate the 1428 anniversary of the Day of the Battle of Badr on Tuesday, September 8 at 3.45 p.m. at 'Pasha Villa', 115 Dematagoda Road, Colombo 9. The program will commence with the recital of Badr Moulood followed by a talk on the significance of the day by Moulavi M.S.M. Thasleem, Imam Colombo Grand Mosque.

Buddhist discussion

Raja Kuruppu and Asoka Mahinda Jayasinghe will lead a discussion in English on "To hang or not to hang - A Buddhist Perspective" at a meeting of the Servants of the Buddha Society on Saturday, September 12 at 4.30 p.m. at the Maitri Hall, Lauries Road, Bambalapitiya.

Correction & Clarification

It's Ven. Palene Vajiragnana Nayake Thera

In our story titled 'Sri Vajiraramaya, Bambalapitiya declared sacred site' published on Monday, September 7, 2009 the name of the founder of Vajiraramaya has been misspelt twice.

The correct name is Most Ven. Palene Vajiragnana Nayake Thera. We regret the error.

Drop in Samurdhi recipient numbers

Nimal Wijesinghe Anuradhapura Additional District Group Correspondent

There has been a significant drop in the number of Samurdhi recipients in Anuradhapura district.

District Samurdhi Commissioner W.A. Karunapala said that currently there are 71,959 Samurdhi beneficiaries in the district as against 73,829 in 2008. The annual expenditure incurred earlier for the payment of Samurdhi benefits which was around Rs. 500 million has come down to Rs. 360 million, he said.

Resettlement for tsunami displaced

V.P. Sivapragasam Akkaraipattu group corr.

Families displaced by the tsunami will be re-settled before the end of this month, said Ampara Government Agent Sunil Kannangara referring to families displaced in the villages under the Tirukovil Divisional Secretariat.

Two thousand seven hundred and eighty three persons in 776 families are in welfare Camps in the Tirukovil Divisional Secretariat Division in addition to several displaced on account of terrorism. Action will also be taken to cultivate abandoned paddy fields in resettled villages.