Quick Look
 

Oluvil Port project work speeded

Dinesh DE ALWIS

Work on the Oluvil Port Project in the Eastern province has been accelerated. Ninety five percent work has already been completed. The Oluvil Port will be opened in January, Ports and Aviation Deputy Minister Dayasritha Tissera told a press briefing.

The government has started a number of port development projects throughout the country. The project is expected to generate a large number of direct and indirect employment opportunities to youth in the area, he said.

Tree-planting ceremony in USA

Sri Lankan Ambassador Jaliya Wickramasuriya planted a Japanese Maple tree in the front garden of the Embassy of Sri Lanka, Washington, DC as part of the Deyata Sevana program to commemorate the 65th birthday and the inauguration of the second term of office of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Ambassador Jaliya Wickramasuriya presided over the flag-raising and tree planting ceremony in front of the Embassy Monday morning. The embassy staff planted trees at the embassy as well as at the official residence.

Robot-technology course

The Arthur C. Clarke Institute for Modern Technologies has called applications from candidates to follow a Robot-Technology course launched by the Institute for the first time.

A press release by the Institute said the course to be conducted by a team of veteran engineers is due to begin in the first week of December.

Initially a limited number of candidates will be enrolled for the course. Those completing the course would be awarded a robot circuit kit and a certificate each.

Seminar for Ampara policemen

A seminar to educate police officers in the Ampara district on ‘Non Summary Court Procedure’ was held at the Ampara Police Superintendent’s Office auditorium under the guidance of SSP S. Premalal Ranagala on November 11.

State Counsel Udara Karunatilleke and Sugandhi Kandasamy also participated.

Bodhi pooja

A Bodhi pooja, a pahan pooja and chanting of seth pirith will be held at the Pilimatalawa, Urapola Sri Abayaraja Pirivena Viharaya on November 18 from 5.00 pm to bless President Mahinda Rajapaksa on his second term of office and his 65th birthday.

Haj prayers at Galle Face Green

Haj festival prayers will be organized by the Memon Association of Sri Lanka today at 8.00 am at the Galle Face green. In case of rain, the prayers will take place at the Memon Association Hall at No 320/1, Galle Road, Colombo 03 at 8.30 am.

Social service programs

Arrangements have been made to hold several social service programs in the Anuradhapura District by the Central Province Health, Social Service and Social Welfare Minister P Jayaratne Bandara parallel to President’s Mahinda Rajapaksa’s second term swearing in ceremony.

The program includes issuing of financial aid to construct houses, sanitary equipment, solar energy lanterns to houses without electricity, educational material to students, first aid boxes to welfare societies, bee keeping boxes for self-employment, walking aid for physically handicapped people and chairs to provincial hospitals. Around 3,500 low income families will be benefited under this social service program.

Training centre opening

The Ven Karamada Ariyatissabhidhana Memorial Apprentice Training Centre set up by the National Apprenticeship and Industrial Training Authority will be opened by Youth Affairs Minister Dullas Alahapperuma and Higher Education Minister S B Dissanayake at the Sri Weluwanarama Viharaya, Gelioya on November 17 at 11 am.

Bottle lamp topples :

Fire guts five line rooms

Samanthi WEERASEKARA

Five line rooms in St John Estate, Norwood were completely gutted by fire on Monday night. Norwood Police doused the fire with the help of neighbours before it spread to the rest of the line rooms.

The fire had been caused due to the toppling of a bottle lamp in one of the line rooms. No casualties were reported. The displaced worker families have been found temporary accommodation in a kovil. Norwood Police are investigating.

Boy dies in lorry mishap

A three-year-old boy died on the spot after being knocked down by a lorry on Paludeniya Canal road on Monday morning.

The victim was identified as Dissanayake Mudiyanselage Chinthaka Wimalaratne of Paludeniya. The alleged driver of the lorry was produced before the Mahiyangana Magistrate and remanded till November 19. Aralaganwila police are investigating. A motorcyclist injured in a motorcycle-lorry accident at Katuneriya on the Marawila-Negombo road Sunday succumbed to his injuries at the Colombo National Hospital.

The alleged lorry driver arrested by Marawila police was due to be produced before the Marawila Magistrate yesterday.

Three nabbed with live detonator

Rasnayakapura police detected a live detonator with a wire cord and six live pistol ammunition at a house in Heelogama Unagolla on Monday and arrested the inmate of the house in this connection.

He was due to be produced in Court yesterday.

Farmer electrocuted

A farmer in Beddewewa, Sooriyawewa died of electrocution after being struck by lightning while he was working in his paddy field on Monday afternoon.

The deceased was identified as Elpola Hewage Dayaratne. The Post-mortem was due to be held at the Sooriyawewa hospital morgue yesterday. Sooriyawewa police are investigating.

Suspect nabbed with forged currency

A suspect who tendered a forged Rs 1,000 note to the Settikulam People's Bank was handed over to the Settikulam police by the Bank's Assistant Manager Monday. The suspect was due to be produced in the Vavuniya Magistrates Court yesterday. The CID and Settikulam police are conducting investigations.

Undergradates released on cash bail

The two undergraduates of the Ruhuna University held in remand custody in connection with assaulting the University's Vice Chancellor and causing injury to him were released on Rs 100,000 cash bail by Matara Magistrate Udesh Ranatunga yesterday.

Tree planting campaign

A tree planting campaign organised by the special task force concurrent to the Deyata Sevana 1.1 million National Tree Planting campaign to mark the inauguration of the President's second term of office was held at its headquarters at Bauddhaloka Mawatha yesterday. STF Commander DIG K M L Sarathchandra, DIG R W M C Ranawana and other officers were also present. Similar tree planting campaigns were held at all other STF camps in Ampara, Batticaloa, Vavuniya and Kandy.

Pinkamas to bless President

Richmond WIJESEKERA- Bentota group correspondent

A series of Pinkamas will be held at the Alutgama, Kande Vihare to invoke blessings on President Mahinda Rajapaksa on his second term swearing in and his birthday. It will be held under the patronage of Ven. Viharadhipathi Batuwanhene Buddharakkita Nayake Thera.

Similarly Bodhipooja pinkamas and church services will be held at all the temples and churches in the Bentara-Elpitiya electorate to bless the President.

Sunday service

A service of praise and Thanksgiving to commemorate the founder of Uduvil Girls' College will be held at the Ceylon Bible Society Hall, 1st floor, 293 Galle Road Colombo 3 on Sunday, November 21 at 7.30 am.

This service has been organized by the PPA Colombo branch.

Blood donation

The Social Service Section of the Kelaniya Young Men's Buddhist Association has organized a blood donation campaign tomorrow at the Kiribathgoda YMBA New Hall at 8.30 am to mark the second term swearing-in to office of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. This campaign is held under the patronage of Deputy Highways Minister Dr Mervyn Silva.

Death of Prof R A L H (Leslie) Gunawardena

Former Vice Chancellor,one time Chairman of the Vice Chancellors Association and Professor of History of the University of Peradeniya Prof R A L H (Leslie) Gunawardena passed away yesterday. He was 73. The cremation takes place today (17) at the Mahaiyawa Cemetery, Kandy at 3 p.m.

Get-together

The annual get-together of Kotte Ananda Shastralaya will be held at Wadduwa Holiday Resorts on November 27. All past pupils and their families are invited to join this great event of this year.

For details contact Channa Fernando - 0773847853.

Special treat

The Lions Clubs District 306 A1 has organised a special treat for a group of 1000 differently abled persons at a function to be held at the De Soysa Park Moratuwa on November 20 from 8 am. The program will include Games, Competitions and sports events, food and refreshments said Project Chairperson Premanath de Zoysa.

Book launch on President

A book titled The Dawn of Sri Lanka: The Miracle of Asia-Selected Essays on the Patriotic Legacy of President Mahinda Rajapaksa would be released in December. The author is Dr Telli C Rajaratnam. The book is published by Sarvodaya Vishwa Lekha.

It’s a hardcover fineprint book and consists of 20 chapters and 265 pages. Dr Rajaratnam is the author of several publications including books, poems and articles.

He has been a lecturer in various universities in Colombo and overseas and is a member of the World Lawyers & Poets Society.


 

Waste management gets Rs 320 m

M A R Manukulasooriya- Hiriyala group correspondent

The Provincial Local Government Department will implement 32 waste matter management projects through 32 local bodies in the province at a cost of Rs 320 million.

Under this program carbonic manure will be produced utilizing the waste. There are 28 Pradeshiya Sabhas, three Town Councils and one Municipal Council in the North Western Province. Thousands of tons of waste matter are collected by these local bodies everyday.

Next public day cancelled

The Police yesterday said the Public Day conducted by IGP Mahinda Balasuriya will not be held next Friday due to an unavoidable circumstance.

According to Police Spokesman SP Prishantha Jayakody, the Public Day will be held every Friday from November 26.

Motorcyclist dies in collision

Indika POLKOTUWA

A motor cyclist died on the spot when a lorry transporting fish from Trincomalee to Colombo collided with his motorcycle at Dambulla Monday.

The deceased was identified as M. Jayawardena (41) of Shanthipura Polonnaruwa. The alleged lorry driver has been arrested by Dambulla police investigating the incident.

Meanwhile, the Matale police raided an illicit kassippu distillery near Ridi Ella, Dambulla and arrested a suspect with over 500 bottles of kassippu and distilling equipment.

Several CWE outlets to be opened

Twelve Lak Sathosa (CWE) sales outlets, ten Coop Cities and twenty-one Mini Coop cities will be opened islandwide on November 20 and 22 respectively to mark President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s second term of office. In addition, a multi religious program and a Pirith chanting ceremony to bless the country and the President will also be held at the Co-operatives and Internal Trade Ministry on November 18.

Pirith to bless President

Richmond WIJESEKERA- Bentota group correspondent

An all night Pirith chanting organised by the Bentota Pradeshiya Sabha to mark the President’s birthday and inauguration of the second term of office will be held at the Bentota PS office on November 18.

The Pinkama will end with a Sanghika dana on 19. Southern Province Governor Kumari Balasuriya, Southern Province Chief Minister Shan Wijayalal de Silva and several Ministers and MPs, Bentota Divisional Secretary K K Gunapala, Bentota PS Chairman Jackson Kottahachchi will participate.

Timber stock buried in Paddy field

Ratnapura district special corr.

A stock of timber sawn from an illicitly felled ‘Hora’ tree which had been buried in a paddy field was seized by a team of five Grama Niladharis said Kahawtte Divisional Secretary Dayananda Kolamuna.

The stock valued at nearly Rs 300,000 has been brought and handed over to the Divisional Secretariat. Timber stock being exhumed from the paddy field.

‘Bills consistent with Constitution’

Parliamentary Cors.

Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa informed Parliament yesterday that the Local Authorities (Special Provisions) Bill and Local Authorities Elections (Amendment) Bill meant to reform the existing election laws are consistent with the Constitution.

The two Bills were challenged in the Court under Section 121(1) of the Constitution by several minority parties who said the changes would affect them adversely. The Speaker announced this decision under Standing Order 50(2)(1) to Parliament.