Quick Look

President Mahinda Rajapaksa serving dana to novice monks who entered priesthood at the ceremony that marked five decades in Sangha order of Ven Dhammasiri Nayaka Thera at Maharagama Dharmayathanaya yesterday. Maha Sanga, Minister Champika Ranawaka and Milinda Moragoda were also present. Picture by Chandana Perera

Journalists to be honoured

Addalaichenai Group Corr.

Prime Minister D M Jayaratne and Media and Information Minister Keheliya Rambukwella will be the Chief Guest and Guest of Honour at the 15th anniversary celebrations of Sri Lanka Muslim Media Forum today at 9.00 a.m. at Madwala Bazzar Madheena National School.

Journalists from all three communities who have rendered yeoman services to the media along with the Editorial Board of Al-Hasanath and Economic Times will be honoured.

The ceremony will be presided over by SLMM President N.M. Ameen. Parliamentarians Rauff Hakeem, Abdul Cader, M.H.A. Haleem and A.H.M. Azwer will also attend.

Dharmaraja College marks 123

Senkadagala group corr.

Dharmaraja College, Kandy one of the oldest Buddhist Institutions in the hill capital completes 123 years on June 30.

The school was founded in 1887. The Principal, staff, students and the parents have organized several religious activities on June 30. There will be a Sangika dana for 124 Bhikkus on this day at the Asgiriya Maha Viharaya, Kandy organized by the Dharmaraja Old Scouts Association.

New look for N’ Eliya reservoirs

Ishara Mudugamuwa

The Irrigation and Water Resource Management Ministry will renovate Barrack Lane Katumana Ela and Bomuru Ella water reservoirs in Nuwara Eliya.

The Barrack Lane water reservoir was built by British rulers. It was not properly maintained for number of years.

There are more illegal constructions and cultivations on the bank of this reservoir.

Irrigation and Water Resources Management Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva directed the District Secretary to demolish all illegal constructions and stop cultivations.

After the reconstruction of this reservoir, Nuwara Eliya will not be affected by floods.

Copper wire racket

A haul of copper wires worth over Rs 2 million suspected to have been stolen from the Norochcholai power plant along with eight suspects were taken into custody by Kalpitiya police.

This arrest was made at Mampuriya police checkpoint recently along the Palaviya-Kalpitiya Rd. while the wires were being transported to Colombo in a lorry.

They were transporting the wires on the pretext of transporting scrap iron to Colombo. two suspects are from Colombo and the others are from Kalpitiya.

Kalpitiya police are investigating.

EDB plans revenue increase

Rafik Jalaldeen

Industry and Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen has directed the Sri Lanka Export Development Board to expedite finalizing the strategies within a week to target US $20 billion in export revenue by 2020.

A spokesperson for the Industry and Commerce Ministry said Minister Bathiudeen met the EDB Chairman and the newly appointed board of directors and discussed various issues concerning the export revenue.

More wind, less rain

Lakshmi de Silva

The monsoon weather pattern has changed to stronger winds and less rain. Western, Northwestern and Sabaragamuwa Provinces and Galle and Matara Districts will experience scattered showers. There will also be similar rains in the western slopes of the central hills, Duty Meteorologist Nandalal Peiris said yesterday.

Certain atmospheric conditions in the East of the country cause strong winds while monsoon rains will be reduced during the next few days, he said. The highest rainfall of 143 millimetres was experienced in Sabaragamuwa in the Sri Pada hill area on June 23.

Ex-Colombo Mayor told to vacate official residence

Chaminda Perera

Former Colombo Mayor Mohammed Uvais was yesterday told to vacate his official residence by Municipal Commissioner Badrani Jayawardena.

Jayawardena apprised the former Mayor that he should vacate the official residence as the council has already been dissolved by the President.

Uvais has been occupying the residence since June 2006. Jayawardena told the Daily News that all properties of the Council should be brought under the custody of the Colombo Municipal Council Special Commissioner appointed by the President.

She said she wrote to the former Mayor and the Deputy Mayor to vacate their official residences after she received the Gazette Notification in relation to the dissolution of the Council.

Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa visited the Nano Technology Centre in Biyagama recently. Sintech Chairman Prof. Asrof Kumar explaining to the Minister about the progress of Nano Technology. Technology and Research Minister Prof. Tissa Vitarana and Agriculture Minister Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana were also present.

Madya Pradesh Chief Minister of India Shri Shivraj Singh arrived at the Katunayake Airport by an invitation of Water Supply and Drainage Minister Dinesh Gunawardena on June 25.