Quick Look

G15 officials meet President

Representatives of the high level Task Force of G15 summit met President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday.

This Task Force will submit a report consisting of proposals aimed at streamlining activities of G15 summit.

It was established after President Rajapaksa assumed duties as G15 summit Chairman.

The representatives made President Rajapaksa aware of this report which is to be forwarded to the Foreign Ministerial level meeting in New York.

Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal also participated.

Electric fence to ward off jumbos

A A L Dias- Matale district group corr

The Sri Lanka Mahaweli Authority will erect an electric fence of 33 kilometres to ward off elephants under the Moragahakanda irrigational project in the Laggala area.

After commencing construction activities the elephant crossing trails were denied to wild elephants. As a result, the jumbos invade the villages in the area causing severe damages.

Jaffna errant traders nabbed

The Consumer Affairs Authority flying squads conducted raids in Jaffna on Monday and Tuesday and nabbed 65 errant traders who fleeced customers flouting the Consumer Protection Act.

This followed directives issued by Co-operatives and Internal Trade Minister to provide relief to consumers in Jaffna by taking action against errant traders and black marketeers.

Leopard attack injures two

Dewahuwa Group M.D. Mahinda

Two residents of Narangamuwa in Laggala were admitted to the Laggala-Pallegama hospital with critical injuries following an attack by a leopard.

They were immediately transferred to Matale Base Hospital yesterday.The injured are S.D. Jayawardena, 52, and P.G. Jayasena, 36. They had been attacked around 7.00 a.m. near their cattle farm.

Illicit drug, liquor suspects in church feast nabbed

W C B Fernando- Puttalam group corr

Puttalam vice squad officers arrested 37 suspects possessing Heroin, Cannabis and illicit liquor in the Thalawila St Anne’s church premises and in the vicinity during the church feast. Vice squad spokesman said among the suspects 28 were possessing 1,200 litres of illicit liquor and six were possessing cannabis and heroin.

Raids were conducted by Puttalam vice squad led by officer in charge A R Lambert.

Deaths due to shock

Sarath MALALASEKERA

Colombo Chief Magistrate and Additional District Judge Nisantha Hapuarachchi returning a verdict of death of Malliyawadu Menminona and Pallegethera Pathman Damayanthi Samarathunga said that it was due to shock caused by the sharp rise in body temperature.

According to police investigations those who died had come to Viharamahadevi Park on their own free will to get healing placing their confidence on a certain faith.

The deaths had been caused due to the body movements done according to practices of religions, the faith they believed in, the postmortem reports added.

Postmortem report forwarded to Court by Dr A Dayapala and Dr U Mayorathan.

New record price for CTC BPS Grade

An invoice of Florence CTC BPS grade sold at an all time record price of Rs. 485 per kilo at the Colombo Tea Auction on August 4.

This tea was purchased by Van Rees Ceylon Limited, and was successfully marketed by Asia Siyaka Commodities (Pvt) Limited.

Florence is the selling mark of Abbotsleigh Estate and is owned and managed by Watawala Plantations Ltd.

Special leave during Ramazan

The Government will grant special leave to Government sector Muslim employees during the Ramazan fasting period, Labour Relations and Production Promotion Minister Gamini Lokuge said in a release.

The Minister also requested private sector employers to grant Muslim employees special leave. The Minister said special leave will be granted from August 12 to September 10 during prayer times 3.30 a.m. to 6 a.m., 3.15 p.m. to 4.15 p.m, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m, and 7.30 p.m. to 10.30 p.m. He also stated a special holiday will be granted on the day of Ramazan and also requested festival or salary advances be paid 14 days prior to the Ramazan period.

Subsidy for more crops

Ishara MUDUGAMUWA

Agriculture Minister Mahinda Yapa Abeywardane directed ministry officials to find out the possibility of providing a fertilizer subsidy for crops such as vegetables and maize, Agriculture Ministry Secretary K.E.Karunathilake said. He said the ministry will continuously provide the fertilizer subsidy for farmers.

The government provides a fertilizer subsidy for paddy and tea by spending Rs. 35 billion annually.

AGM of affiliated YMBAs

The 32nd Annual General Meeting of the Affiliated YMBAs will be held at the Colombo YMBA Main Hall on August 28.

YMBA Affiliates which have not been registered are requested to contact Colombo YMBA General Manager Maj. Gen. A.M.U. Senaviratne on 2682397 on or before August 10.

Application called for graduateship program

The College of Chemical Sciences Graduateship program in Chemistry calls for applications from GCE (A/L) qualifieds including those sitting the A/L examination this year.

Registration will close on September 15.

Details can be obtained from the Institute Headquarters at Admantane House, 341/22, Kotte Road, Welikada, Rajagiriya. Phone 2861653/2861231/4615230. Web site: www.ichemo.org. Prospective students are invited to attend the orientation session to be held at 3 pm on August 19 or September 4 at 1.15 pm.

Awareness program for lubricating oil companies

An awareness program for companies engaged in the import of lubricating oil has been launched by the Petroleum Industries Ministry to educate them on protecting the quality of lubricating oil in the market.

The program launched on the initiative of Minister Susil Premajayantha will lay emphasis on the laws and regulations relating to lubricating oil and pay special attention to problems encountered by these companies, said a Ministry release yesterday.

RI for two

Kapila SOMARATNE -Panadura Group Correspondent

Panadura Provincial High Court Judge Malanee Gunaratne sentenced each of the two accused in the Panadura Parattha murder case to seven years rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs 10,000 in default of six months simple imprisonment.

The accused were found guilty of homicide not amounting to murder.

The accused were convicted by the Attorney General with committing the murder of 19-year-old Delum Srimal Peiris on November 28, 2000.

Alleged robbers caught

Three suspects alleged to have robbed Rs. 35,000 and other valuables from the residents by pointing a gun in Kananke, Waligama area were arrested by Kananke Police.

Roundtable Conference

The Open University of Sri Lanka will organize an "International Roundtable Conference in Quality Assurance" at Hotel Janaki, Colombo 05 on August 8 and 9.

This Conference is organized in partnership with the Commonwealth of Learning.

Awards ceremony

Splendid International School for KIDS Galle will hold an award ceremony at Hall De Galle on August 10. Southern Province Governor Kumari Balasuriya will be the Chief Guest.

St Sebastian's 96 Group get-together

The annual get-together of the Old Boys '96 Group of St. Sebastian's College, Moratuwa will be held on August 14 at 6.30 p.m. at the Sebastianite Sports Club hall. Contact 0772358080,0718696949,0777190198 or 0773643327 for details.

Praise and Worship

A service of 'Praise and Worship' will be held at the Cathedral of Christ the Living Saviour, Colombo 7 on August 8 at 10.30 a.m. under the banner of the ministry of 'Peace for All'.

The speaker and minister at this service will be Vijaya Corea, who will speak on 'The God of the eleventh hour and fifty-ninth minute."

Rajans Ball

Rajans Ball organized by the Dharmaraja College Old Boys' Union Colombo banch to mark the College 123rd anniversary will be held at Waters Edge today at 8 p.m Details - 0777733561.

Concert

Pipa Wilson, a popular singer in Melbourne will be featured in a jazz concert at the CR and FC Club House on August 11 at 7.30 p.m.

Pipa will be singing for a fund raiser organised by the Y's Men's Club of Cinnamon Gardens and Colombo for selected charities.

Lecture

A lecture on 'Nanotechnology and how it will affect every aspect of our lives' by Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania, USA, Nanotechnology Director and Geology and Physics Professor and Chair Prof Anura Goonewardene will be held on August 9 at 3.00 p.m. At the Physics Conference Room, Department of Physics, University of Colombo, Colombo 3.

Scientific session

A scientific session on recent developments in neuro sciences will be held at Waters Edge on August 8. This will bring together with The Association of Neurology, Sri Lanka and three of the finest enlightened Indian visionaries from the field of Neuro Sciences – Dr. N.K. Venkataramana, Vice Chairman and Chief Neurosurgeon BGS Global Hospital, Bangalore, Dr. J.K.B.C. Parthiban, Senior Consultant Neurosurgeon, Head of the Department, Neurosurgery and Spine Unit, Global Hospitals and Health City, Chennai and Dr. S Dinesh Nayak, Senior. Consultant Neurosurgery and Epileptologist, Department of Neurology and Epileptology, Global Hospitals and Health City, Chennai.

Dr. N.K. Venkataramana will present his views about the Recent Advances in Stem cell therapy, Dr. J.K.B.C. Parthiban will talk about the Current Concepts and Challenges in Cervical Spine Surgeries and Dr. Dinesh Nayak will discuss about Management of medically Refractory Epilepsy.

Japan to fund eastern irrigation

Japan will fund certain irrigation projects in the East.

A meeting in this regard,was held on July 28 under the patronage of Eastern Provincial Road Development, Housing and Construction, Irrigation, Rural Electrification and Water Supply Minister M S Uthumalebbe at the ministry auditorium.