Quick Look

President to meet Russian Federation Head on Monday

President Mahinda Rajapaksa will undertake a working visit to the Russian Federation from February 6-9.

During this visit, President Rajapaksa will meet Russian Federation President Dmitry Medvedev on Monday.

Deyata Kirula attracts thousands

Asela KURULUWANSA and Indika POLKOTUWA

People from all parts of the country are lining up in their tens of thousands daily to view the Deyata Kirula exhibition which was opened by President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Thursday at Pallekele to coincide with the 62nd Independence Day celebrations. The exhibition was opened for the public on Thursday at 6 p.m. It is now open to the public daily from 9 a.m. to midnight.

Gifts from Japanese resident community

Japanese Solidarity Association President Yoshiaki Kato and Japan Commerce and Industry Association Chairman Tadashi Komenoi will jointly provide 18 sets of mobile libraries with picture books called Alipencha to Northern Province Governor Major General G.A. Chandrasiri on February 8.

The mobile libraries will be handed over to pre-schools in Menik Farm with the assistance of the Social Services and Social Welfare Ministry.

Japanese Solidarity Association is a voluntary group consisting of about 200 Japanese nationals residing in Sri Lanka, and its objective is to foster mutual friendship and promote friendship between the two countries.

Emergency passed

The motion moved by Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka to extend the Emergency Regulations by another one month was passed in Parliament with a majority of 87 votes yesterday with 102 voting for the motion while 15 voted against it.

The TNA asked for a division and voted against. The UNP and WPF voted against. The JVP was absent. IR&SM

AGM

The 35th Annual General Meeting of the Sri Lanka Council for the blind will be held on February 12 at the Public Library Auditorium, Colombo 7 at 10.00 a.m.

Essay competition

The International Association of Lion's Clubs - District 306 A 2 will conduct the annual essay competition on prevention of drug abuse and HIV/AIDS for the 18th consecutive year. This contest is open to school students in age group of 15 to 19. The contest will be held in Sinhala, Tamil and English medium. Youths' role in prevention of drug abuse and HIV/AIDS. Life of Discipline - Life of Happiness are the two topics of the competition.

Essays should not exceed six A4 size pages and not less than 4 pages. Applications and essays should reach District Chairperson (Prevention of Drug Abuse and HIV/AIDS) 12/3, France Road, Wellawatte, Colombo 6 on or before February 22.

Wiswa Karma for handicraftsmen

Wehelle PIYATHILAKE Maharagama special corr

Following a discussion the National Crafts Council had with President Mahinda Rajapaksa recently it is decided to felicitate the traditional Handicraft Artists who had devoted their lives for Handicraft creations by awarding Wiswa Karma honorary award for 2010, said National Crafts Council Chairman Buddhi Keerthisena at a press conference recently.

Wiswa Karma award will be presented to Handicraftsmen over 50 years.

All the Handicrafts Artists who are qualified for the awards will also be presented an Insurance Policy and a cash award.

Ministry to develop schools

S. M. Wijayaratne Kurunegala corr.

The Education Ministry will develop 26 schools as Isuru schools in the North Western Province said Bingiriya school principals’ association president W. M. Somapala. 35 million has been allocated for this by the Ministry.

He said the Provincial Education Department has commenced the development work of seven such schools.

About 1,460 teachers would be trained to teach students of these schools, he said.

Fillip for cattle farmers

P. P. G. Sugathadasa Thihagoda group correspondent

The artificial insemination program in the Southern region has been a fillip for cattle farmers.

According to Southern Province Animal Production Director K. P. M. Pathirana, these programs which have been implemented at district level in Galle, Matara and Hambantota have also been popular among cattle farmers. Departmental statistics reveals over 1,000 cattle farmers in the South have benefitted. High quality food, mineral mixtures, veterinary medicines and drugs are also provided to these cattle breeders at concessionary rates.

PEACE nearing completion

Nimal WIJESINGHE Anuradhapura Additional District group correspondent

The construction and rehabilitation work of 100 irrigation reservoirs in the Anuradhapura and Kurunegala districts under the Pro-poor Economic Advancement and Community Empowerment (PEACE) are nearing completion. The PEACE project, Wari Pubuduwa program which is a Japan-Sri Lanka joint venture spends 5,039 million Rupees for renovating and rehabilitating the tanks bunds and the irrigation channel systems of eight major irrigation schemes.

Wari Pubuduwa project Director Neil Bandara said the whole project would be completed as scheduled by March, next year. Contracts worth Rs. 2,000 million were offered to farmers organizations and a limited number of private sector contractors.

Once the PEACE project has been completed it would benefit 25,000 farmer families and about 50,000 acres could be cultivated.

Interruption to train service

There will be an interruption of train services on the Northern line on February 9 and 10 between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. due to urgent repairs to the railway line between Galgamuwa and Thambuttegama said the Sri Lanka Railways in a press release issued yesterday.

As a result the 9.25 a.m. train number 4081 from Mahawa to Medawachchiya and the 12.25 p.m. train number 4082 from Medawachchiya to Mahawa will be cancelled on these two days while the 9.30 a.m. train number 4868 from Anuradhapura to Colombo Fort will leave Anuradhapura one hour and ten minutes earlier at 8.20 a.m. on these two days the release said.

UGC calls for applications

Dharma SRI ABEYRATNE

The University Grants Commission calls for applications for admission to universities for the academic year 2009/2010 from candidates who have satisfied the minimum requirements for admission at the G.C.E. Advanced Level Examination held in August 2009.

Candidates who have obtained at least three simple passes in all three approved subjects and a minimum mark of 30 percent for the Common General Paper are eligible for applying for university admission.

The UGC requests that every application for admission should be made in the prescribed form issued with the Handbook on university admission, which is obtainable from the UGC, Colombo or from the distributing agents from February 03.

Pathiraja L S Dayananda dies

Film, drama director, actor and teledrama director Pathiraja L. S. Dayananda has died. He was 64. The remains are lying at his residence in Kalapura till the final rites on Sunday.

Pathiraja L. S. Dayananda who was a veteran in drama, cinema and the small screen, made his debut in 1956 with the stage drama ‘Yankee Hatana’. Among the films he directed were ‘Hatdinnath Tharu’, ‘Ganga’, ‘Selinage Walawwa’, ‘Thuthirimal’, ‘Sinhabahu’.

‘Yakage Kammala’, ‘Kawruth Enne’ were among the dramas he produced, while ‘Ahas Gawwa’, ‘Rena Giraw’ and ‘Wanagatha Kolla’ were some of the films he was associated with.

H A no more

Veteran stage, teledrama and film actor H.A. Perera died on February 4 while receiving treatment at the Colombo General Hospital. He was 59.

The funeral will be held at the Madampitiya cemetery in Modera at 5.00 pm on Sunday, February 7. His remains are lying at the Jayaratna Funeral Parlour from today for the public to pay their respects.

He acted in several teledramas such as ‘Doo Daruwo’ which became popular. His performances in stage plays ‘Sekkuwa’ and ‘Galileo Galilei’ and the film ‘Kelimadala’ were popular.

A gilded Ran veta erected round the ground floor of the Sri Dalada Maligawa in Kandy by the Sri Lanka Army Bauddha Bala Mandalaya was handed over to the Sri Dalada Maligawa by Army Commander Lt. Gen. Jagath Jayasuriya amidst the chanting of seth pirith by the maha sangha yesterday. An artiste from Gadaladeniya created the ran veta using 2,000 kilos of brass following a request made to the Army Commander by Diyawadana Nilame Pradeep Nilanga Dela Bandara. He took three months to complete it at a cost of Rs. 1.6 million. Diyawadana Nilame Pradeep Nilanga Dela Bandara, Central Province Commander U. Udumalagala and several other senior army officers attended the ceremony. Picture by Tilak Pushpakumara Senanayake

A large number of devotees participated in the Ther festival at the Kandasamy Kovil in Vavunia town. Picture by T. Vivekarasa, Vavuniya Spl Corr.

A marathon was organized by the Sarath Amunugama Foundation in Galagedara, recently. Here a winner in the Galagedara electorate division race receiving a consolation prize from Public Administration Minister Dr Sarath Amunugama.

Four picture postcards depicting the ‘Jathika Namal Uyana’ (national pink quartz deposit) have been issued to mark its 20th anniversary. Their first copies will be presented to President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees on March 28, said Founder Director of the ‘Namal Uyana’ Ven. Wanawasi Rahula Thera.