Quick Look

Irrigation systems rehabilitated

S. M. Wijayaratne-Kurunegala corr.

The Agrarian Services Department has rehabilitated 146 abandoned minor irrigation systems in 24 Divisional Secretary divisions in the Kurunegala District during 2009. About 13,500 farmer families will benefit.

Chess popularized in Uva schools

Mahaweli systems corr.

The Uva Provincial Education Department will popularize chess among schoolchildren in the province. The 'department' is training teachers in playing chess.

Sanghika dana for Devi Balika anniversary

A Sanghika dana to mark the 57th anniversary of Devi Balika Vidyalaya, Colombo and transfer merit on its founder Principal Dr Wimala de Silva will be held at the school hall today at 11 am.

This will be preceded by a Dhammadesana delivered by Ven. Borelle Athula thera. The Pinkama is organised by the school development society under direction of Principal Pradeepa Samarasinghe.

Drinking water scheme

A new drinking water supply scheme for the Linford division of the Loinoru estate at Bogawanthalawa in the Ambagamuwa (Ginigathena) DS division in the Nuwara Eliya district was commissioned by the Ambagamuwa Pradeshiya Sabha recently.

IT centre to be set up in Hambantota

Raja WAIDYASEKERA-Tissamaharama special corr.

An information technology centre will be set up in Hambantota within two years, Ports and Civil Aviation Minister Chamal Rajapaksa said at Medamulana in Weeraketiya.

The Minister said so addressing principals of schools in the Hambantota district recently.

He said the Government accelerated the Api Wawamu Rata Nagamu program to reap full benefits from it.

The government has increased the number of State jobs to 1,200,000 which remained earlier at 900,000.

The nurses training school at Hambantota admits 200 trainees every year. The shortage of nurses will be minimised as a result.

The multi-purpose technology training centre at Yayawatta Tangalle will prove to be a boon to the school leavers and the youth.

Gaja Mithuro to prevent human-elephant conflict

Mahaweli systems corr.

The Naaula divisional secretariat in Matale will form a cluster of 52 community organizations called Gaja Mithuro (Friends of Elephants) to mitigate the human-elephant conflict.

The Divisional Secretariat and the Wildlife Conservation Department will work together towards this end.

Road developed

A.M. Gunasekera BANDA-Balangoda central group correspondent

The Kabaragala road in the Maddekanda estate in the Balangoda Pradeshiya Sabha area has been concreted at a cost of Rs 500,000 under the Maganeguma program.

Housing loans for Govt servants

Raja WAIDYASEKERA-Tissamaharama Special Corr.

Government servants in the Moneragala district will be provided with housing loans, according to the district office of National Housing Development Authority.

The maximum loan will be Rs. 200,000. The annual interest rate will be 11 percent. The loan will have to be settled within 10 years.

Woman remanded in cheating case

Matale district group corr.

A woman who cheated money from young men and women promising foreign employments was remanded till January 19 by Dambulla magistrate and district judge Maheshika Danansuriya. According to the police, the suspect has collected rupees several lakhs from this business.

An open warrant was also issued on her by the Gampaha Magistrate Court regarding another fraud.

Alms-giving

An alms-giving to 1,000 Kiri Ammawaru to invoke blessings on President Mahinda Rajapaksa, three Armed Forces, the police and the people of Sri Lanka will be held at 4.00 a.m. on January 19 at Anuradhapura, Mirisawetiya Viharaya.

The alms-giving is organized by Mirisawetiya Viharaya chief incumbent Ven. Ethalwetunuwewa Gnanathilaka Thera.

Meetings

Two meetings organized by the socialist People’s Front in support of President Mahinda Rajapaksa will be held on January 16 at 4.00 p.m. at the Sugeesvara Hall, Dr N.M. Perera Mawatha Borella and near the bus stand of Mattegoda Housing Scheme at 6 pm, according to the Media co-ordinator L.R. Stephen. The meetings will be addressed by DEW Gunasekera, Raja Kollure, Wimalasiri de Mel, Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Wimal Rodrigo and S. Sudasinghe.

Healthcare and Nutrition Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva registers the first child patient at the newly built heart surgery unit at Lady Ridgeway Hospital, Borella at a cost of Rs. 79 million.

Water Supply Minister Mahinda Amaraweera and Export Development and International Trade Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris leading 2,000 State and Corporation employees in the Hambantota District belonging to the Rajya Seva Ekabadda Vurtheya Samithi Sammelanaya, who walked in a procession from the Annapitiya Temple to the Tangalle Town Hall, in support of President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the forthcoming Presidential Election.

HelpAge Sri Lanka started a program to train members of Senior Citizens Committees on Homecare Nursing. Under this, 30 volunteers have been selected from 15 Senior Citizens’ Committees in the Kalpitiya Divisional Secretariat in Puttalam. They are being trained at HelpAge Sri Lanka Centre Boralesgamuwa. Here a nurse gives a demonstration on attending a bed ridden elder.

Western Provincial Governor S. Alavi Mowlana addressing a group of Muslim women supporting the UPFA from Pathadumbara at a meeting held at the Wattegama town hall recently. Picture by H.A. Shakoor Pathadumbara special correspondent