Quick Look

Special intercity train service

S Duraisamy Maskeliya Group Corr

Special One-day intercity train will operate between Colombo and Bandarawela from December 11 to December 31, 2010 in view of school holidays and Christmas season.

This decision was made by Transport Minister Kumara Welgama to facilitate the oncoming holiday travel between the two destinations.

The train leaves Colombo Fort Station at 6.40 a.m. and reaches Bandarawela at 4.10 p.m. While the same train will return from Bandarawela the following day at 6.40 a.m. during this period.

B positive kidney needed

Ruvinika needs your help:

Ruvinika Madushani (12) of Mihintalaya road, Kurundankulama, Anuradhapura has been diagnosed with kidney ailment. She needs an urgent kidney transplant as determined by Prof A S Abeygunawardena, Professor in Paediatrics at Peradeniya University. Ruvinika’s father P Rathnayake says his daughter needs a B positive kidney. Donors can contact him on 025 3258578 and 071 2544700.

One dead, four injured in crash

Sarath Velagedara - Elahera group corr

A man died and four others were injured in a lorry-van collision near Polonnaruwa Watadageya, Wednesday around 9.30 p.m. Ahamadu Mohommad Ismail, 56, of Eravur died while two children aged one and a half and three and their parent’s were injured. The van plying from Habarana to Eravur crashed onto the lorry travelling from Kaduruwela.

Polonnaruwa police are investigating.

Religious act at Dickwella

P P G Sugathadasa - Thihagoda Group Corr

Pradeshiya Sabha Members and the staff of the Dickwella Pradeshiya Sabha held an all-night Pirith ceremony in the Sabha auditorium with the participation of Youth Affairs and Skills Development Minister Dullas Alahapperuma recently.

Minister Dullas Alahapperuma took part in religious activities with Dickwella Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman Krishali Muthucumarana and others.

Buddhist lecture

Ven Ayagame Susila Thera will deliver a public Buddhist lecture in English on "Nature of the Mind" at the meeting of the Servants of Buddha Society on December 11, at 4.30 pm at Maithree Hall, Lauries Road, Bambalapitiya.

All are welcome.

No nod for new filling stations

The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) has temporary suspended the granting of approval for new filling stations until the completion of a countrywide market survey, said the CPC in a press release yesterday.

The release said the CPC has launched a priority program to upgrade and modernise and re-organise the marketing division of the Kolonnawa terminal on the direction of Minister Susil Premajayantha to provide a better and more efficient service to its customers.

‘Thomian Walk’ postponed

The ‘Thomian Parish Walk’ cum mini-carnival organized by St. Thomas’ Church, Kotte, which was scheduled to be held from the Church premises to the Mirihana police grounds on Sunday December 12, 2010, has been postponed to Sunday January 30, 2011, owing to the inclement weather condition prevailing in the country. The organizers inform that all tickets sold out for this walk will be valid for the new date of the walk cum mini-carnival and regrets any inconvenience caused thereby.

The annual Parish Christmas Sale however, will be held at the Parish hall on Sunday December 19, 2010. For clarifications contact Allan Perera on 0777-368801 or Asiri Warnakulasuriya on 0717569749.

CD release

Tamil devotional singer Chidambaram Thiyagarajah will release his new CD containing Tamil devotional songs tomorrow at 4pm at Iyangaran Hall, Kotahena. The theme of this CD is My Voice is a Blessing of Iyappan.

A special feature of the ceremony is the distribution of school stationery and equipment to 150 needy students. A special Puja will be conducted by Sivasri Bala Ravishankara Sivachchari.

The CD with Iyappan devotional songs will also contain two songs about Mayurpathy Amman.

Musical

A dramatized musical that exposes an abstract link between reality and pretense where inverted emotions and personalities will be depicted in the vibrant setting of a circus will be held tomorrow at 7pm at the Bishop’s College, Colombo Auditorium. It will be presented by Swara, in collaboration with Dramatic Action.

This project is to raise funds for the charity organization, Samata Sarana (Help for All).

Christmas celebration

A special Christmas celebration of ‘Praise and Worship’ will be held on December 12 at 10.30 am at the Cathedral of Christ the Living Saviour (adjoining the BMICH), Colombo 7.

Dr Vijaya Corea will be the speaker.

Carol service

Asteria, a female choir will lead an Advent and Christmas Carol Service titled led by a Star at the Wellawtte Methodist Church, 1st Chapel Lane on December 12 at 5.30 pm. Rev Duleep Fernando will be the preacher. Entrance is free.

Environment conference

An international conference on Sustainable Built Environments organized by the Peradeniya University, Moratuwa University and Institute of Engineers will be held on December 13 and 14 at Earl’s Regency Hotel, Kandy.

Prof Tim Ibell and Prof Peter Walker from Bath University UK, Prof M P Ranaweera from Peradeniya University and Prof Wije Ariaratne will deliver keynote speeches.

The opening ceremony will be held on December 12 at 4.30 pm. About 200 delegates from several countries will participate.

Moves to stop mass animal slaughter

Plans are underway to submit a petition with one million signatures to prevent mass killing of animals.

Somasiri Alakolange who witnessed the mass slaughter of animals in Chilaw recently, requested the public to send an envelope with their postal address to No 3/5, Sulaiman Terrace, Jawatte Road, Colombo 5 to get a form.

He said that around 300 goats and nearly 1,000 chicken were killed inhumanely in Chilaw.

Co-operative employees felicitated

Ariyapala Wansathilake - Kurunegala Central special

Redeegama Co-operative Society felicitated 285 employees who dedicated their service to the Co-operative Department in 2010.

There was a simple ceremony held at Redeegama Cooperative Society on Wednesday (09).

Wayamba Provincial Council Chairman R D Wimaladasa presided over the meeting. NWP Local Government Commissioner Kumari Weerasekera said the Co-operative Department is the backbone of the country. The people who join the co-operative network should serve the people in a meaningful manner.

NWP Governor Tissa R Balalla also addressed.

Treasure hunters on the act

Raja Waidyasekera - Tissamaharama special corr.

Treasure hunters have caused extensive damage to the ruins of Kasagala Raja Maha Viharaya at Ranna in Hambantota district. This viharaya area was declared a sacred area in 1997.

Treasure hunters have removed from this silver shrine objects of archaeological historical and religious value from time to time, said Viharadhipathi Ven Kanumuldeniye Ananda Thera.

The Thera said that the late Nayaka Thera Ven Vitharandeniye Wimalasiri Nayake Thera got repeated death threats from treasure hunters and that he was allegedly assassinated.

Death of longstanding ANCL news agent

Sri Lanka Stores Proprietor No. 118, Deans Road, N T Balan who has been rendering a laudable service over 50 years as a Lake House news agent has expired. Cottage leaves residence No. 171/104, Hekitta Road, Wattala on Saturday, December 11 for funeral at Borella Kanatte at 2 pm.

A Naval and Maritime symposium under the theme Sustainable Support for Security at Sea was held as part of the activities held to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Sri Lanka Navy. The seminar at the Navy Headquarters was held under the patronage of External Affairs Minister Prof G L Peiris. Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa also participated. It was attended by Navy Commanders of Australia, Bangladesh, Maldives, India, Pakistan and The United Arab Emirates while Naval officials from 21 countries participated. Here Prof Peiris delivering the inaugural address.

A new lap top computer and software sales centre of the Tech Zone Institute was opened by Defence Secretary Goatabhaya Rajapaksa at the Kandy City Centre recently. Here, the Defence Secretary with Union Bank Deputy Chairman Asoka de Silva, Tech Zone Chairman Mohamed Naufard and other invitees after the opening ceremony. Picture by Gamini Ramanayake