Quick Look

Central bus stand goes to the rats

The Central Bus Stand in Pettah is infested with rats inconveniencing passengers, Deputy Transport Minister Rohana Kumara Dissanayake observed following a visit yesterday midnight. He noticed that rats have found plenty of places to live at the Central Bus Stand.

The rodents have also damaged wire boxes in bus engines and rubber sheets inside the buses. The Deputy Minister instructed Sri Lanka Transport Board’s General Manager to take immediate action to eliminate the rats.

Anti-Narcotic Day

A national ceremony to mark International Anti-Narcotics Day organised by the National Dangerous Drugs Control Board and the Colombo Plan Office will be held at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium, Colombo on June 26 at 5 p.m.

This will be preceded by an anti-narcotics awareness walk from the Maligawatta Sirisena Playground to the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium starting off at 3 p.m.

US provides $ 2.25m for IDPs

The US Government will contribute an additional $2.25 million to support Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) as they return to their homes and villages in the North. The money will enable 9,000 families to receive a shelter cash grant provided to returning families by the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

The shelter cash grant of Rs. 25,000 ($220) is an integral part of returnees’ return packages.

Fair extended

B W Eheliyagoda - Kegalle special correspondent

The Kegalle Economic centre fair that is generally held on Thursday and Monday will be held on Wednesday and Thursday and Sunday and Monday.

This arrangement is made by Kegalle Urban Council Chairman G.K. Samarasinghe and co-members of the SLFP administration of the Kegalle UC.

The Chairman Samarasinghe thanks the progressive supporters of the UNP too who extended their co-operation in this decision making.

According to the new arrangement the fair at the Kegalle economic centre will be in full session both on Wednesday and Thursday (full day) and Sunday and Monday throughout.

Universal children’s day national ceremony

Gamini Jayasinghe

The national ceremony to mark Universal Children’s Day will be held at the Swarnapali Balika Vidyalaya, Anuradhapura from October 1 to 3 under the theme ‘strengthen the hands to enlighten the world of children’, Child Development and Women’s Affairs Minister Tissa Karaliyadde said at a discussion held at the Anuradhapura District Secretariat.

He said a batch of nearly 600 children selected from all parts of the country including the North and East, plantation sector and Dambana Adivasi village will attend the festivities along with 174 destitute children from the North and East who have lost their parents due to the war.

A flag day will also be held to mark the occasion and the first flag will be pinned on President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Classical music in Jaffna

A special classical music program under “Uthuru Vasanthaya 2010” organised by the National Heritage and Cultural Ministry the Cultural Department, the Sri Lanka Arts Council, and the Jaffna District Secretariat will be conducted on June 21,22 and 23 in all Divisional Secretariats in the Jaffna District.

Musical concerts will be held on June 21 from 9 am to 11 am at the Jaffna Hindu College and from 1 pm to 3 pm at the Sandilipai Ramanathan Hindu College.

June 22 from 9 am to 11 am. at the Karaveddi Divisional Secretariat, and from 1 pm to 3 pm at the Chavakachchiri Divisional Secretariat, and June 23 from 9 am to 11 am at the Velanai Divisional Secretariat.

Wahalkada opening

A new boundary wall and Wahalkada built at the Sri Vijayarama Viharaya, Chilaw will be opened by Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne on June 20 at 10.16 a.m.

Religious ceremony

The annual religious ceremony of the Pattana Dharma Sabha, Narahenpita will be held for the 49th consecutive time at the Sri Maha Bodhi, Anuradhapura from June 21 to 23. Chief Prelate of the Sabha Ven. Koratota Vessabhu Thera will preside. Sil and meditation programs will also be conducted to mark the event.

AGM

The First Annual General Meeting and the get-together of the Inland Revenue Pensioners' Association will be held at "GLEN" Reception Hall, Attidiya at 10.00 a.m. on June 20. The Chief Guest will be Rehabilitation and Prison Development Minister D.E.W. Gunasekera.

Jaffna delegation on Kandy study tour

Indrani Thoradeniya

A 36 member delegation from the Jaffna University Agriculture Faculty including 31 third year students and five lectures are currently visiting Kandy on a ten day practical study tour. They are due to visit the Peradeniya campus, Agriculture Department farms at Gannoruwa and the research station during the tour. They are also due to visit places of religious warship in Kandy, Kurunegale and Anuradhapura before returning to Jaffna.

Queen of the Sinhala Cinema Malini Fonseka was honoured with a Doctorate by the University of Visual and Performing Arts in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the Sinhala Cinema. She received the Doctorate at a special felicitation ceremony at the BMICH yesterday. Picture by Tennyson Edirisinghe

Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa, Japanese Special Envoy yasushi Akashi, Agriculture Minister Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena and Northern Governor G. A. Chandrasiri handing over agricultural equipment to farmers. Picture by Chaminda Hittatiya