Quick Look

All set for Sripada season

S Duraisamy- Maskeliya group corr

Everything is ready for the inauguration of the annual Sripada season this year. The trek to the mountain is clear and passable for pedestrians on the route from Nallathanniya. Despite heavy rains in the recent past the route from Nallathanniya has been cleared by local bodies and voluntary organizations in the Nallathanniya town.

Permanent and temporary traders and business people are busy in making up to date of their business premises.

Meanwhile, foreign tourists have begun to arrive in Nallathanniya town and climb Sripada in hundreds.

Curbing crime in Batticaloa

Jaufer KAHN- Batticaloa group corr

Civil Defence squads will be established in the Batticaloa District to curb crime in the village level, Civil Defence Force Director General Senior Superintendent of Police Nandana Wijewardene said. He expressed these views at a seminar held at the Batticaloa Municipal Council Hall Wednesday under the patronage of Police Senor Superintendent I M Karunaratne. District Senior Police officers, religious leaders and 600 Civil Defence force members of the 12 police divisions participated.

Rubber industry promoted

Dhammika Welegoda and T K Ariyadasa- Malimbada Group Corr

The Rubber Development Department (RDD) has launched a program to promote rubber cultivation in five Divisional Secretariat areas in the Matara district.

Rubber has been planted in 117 hectares as a new cultivation and 747 hectares has been replanted in Malimbada, Akuressa, Mulatiyana, Kamburupitiya and Pitabeddara Divisional Secretariat areas.

The Rubber Development Department has granted Rs 1,660,500 for new planting activities and Rs 980,249 cultivators for replanting of rubber.

Families to get deeds

Raja Waidyasekera- Tissamaharama spl. Corr

Ranbima ownership deeds will be distributed among 5,000 families in the Hambantota district, Land Reform Commission Chairman Nimal S Punchihewa said.

These families did not receive ownership to their lands for decades and underwent hardships in obtaining cultivation and housing loans.

Help this girl

M Sulakkana K Jayasekera (13) is suffering from Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM). This leads to Ventricular Tachycardia and Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD). Her father died at 50 and her sister aged 18, has the same condition. She is at very high risk of SCD.

She need early implantation of an ICD. The cost of the device is Rs 1,350,000.

Financial assistance can be sent to 013020408039 of Hatton National Bank, Galle.

Sangamiththa perahera

The Sangamiththa Perahera of Dankotuwa Divisional Secretarial South Pitigalkada Korale Kudavila Bhodhiwansarama temple will be held under the patronage of Ven Koswaththe Dhammamloka Thera on December 19 at 7.30 pm.

Patrician get-together

The annual Patrician Christmas get-together organized by the Alumni Association of St Patrick's College, Jaffna, Colombo Branch, will be held on December 19 at 6.30pm at Hotel Concord, Dehiwela.

St Patrick's College, Jaffna Rector Rev Fr Jero Selvanayagam will be the Chief Guest. Members will felicitate Fr Rector with the presentation of a memento to mark his Sacerdotal Silver Jubilee.

Publications launch

Colombo University Centre for the Study of Human Rights will launch three of its publications titled 'Social Equity and Rights Assessment, Review of the Quazi Court System in Sri Lanka and the Normative Framework on Internal Displacement: S Literature Review, on December 17 at 2.30pm at the SLFI.

Carols

Colombo Chetty Association members will celebrate the 91st anniversary of their Christmas carols today from 7pm at Lion's Activity Centre, Hekitta Road, Wattala.

Get-together

The annual get-together of the Colombo Association of old students of the Vidyartha College, Kandy, will be held at the Grand Oriental Hotel, Colombo on December 18 at 7pm.

Kerala coconuts to Sri Lanka

Chaminda PERERA

The Government yesterday decided to import coconuts from Kerala and several other Asian countries to arrest the soaring coconut prices in the local market.

According to Trade, Consumer Affairs and Cooperatives Ministry Secretary Sunil S Sirisena, the imported coconut will be sold to consumers between Rs 25 to Rs 30.

He said the Government will allow coconut exporters and the Coconut Development Board to import coconut from Asian countries during the festive season.

O-L impersonator nabbed

A person was arrested for impersonation at the GCE O-L examination at President's College, Veyangoda on Wednesday. The person was arrested by the Chief Examiner following a tip-off. The impersonator and the candidate were due to be produced before Attanagalle Magistrate Court yesterday.

Veyangoda Police are investigating.

Man nabbed with hooch

A man was arrested with 10 barrels of Goda, two cans of illicit liquor and brewing equipment at Andiambalama in Katunayake Police division Wednesday.

Permanent places needed

M A R Manukulasooriya- Hiriyala group correspondent

English and Tamil language Instructors who conduct language proficiency classes for government servants under the Official Language Department in schools in the Kurunegala town request the North Western Province Chief Minister to take action to provide them with permanent place to conduct their classes.

They have made this decision following an incident that took place on Tuesday.

A gold chain worth Rs. 80,000 of a female Management Assistant was snatched by two robbers who had come on a motor bike on a by-road leading to the Kurunegala Zahira College.

Human rights safeguarded in Lanka - Minister

Dharma SRI ABEYRATNE

Sri Lanka always believes in safeguarding human rights, Mass Media and Information Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said.

The Minister told the weekly Cabinet press briefing yesterday that steps have already been taken to safeguard the rights of every person.

The Minister said Sri Lanka is maintaining food ties with neighbouring countries, especially India.

India has been assisting Sri Lanka and Sri Lanka also assists India, he said.

Awareness program on international trade

The Trade Finance Association of Bankers (TFAB) conducted an awareness program on International Trade recently at Green Breeze Hotel in Ambalantota for the prospective clients interested in International Trade.

This seminar was organized by the Hambantota Business Solution, a subsidiary of the Hambantota District Chamber of Commerce (HDCC) and it was attended by over 35 individuals and corporate bodies interested in Imports and Exports.

Birth anniversary

A series of events have been organized to mark the 92nd birth anniversary of Sri Rohana Chapter Mahanayake of the Shyamopali Maha Nikaya and Ruhunu University Chancellor Most Ven Aththudawe Sri Rahula Thera which falls on December 19.

Rahula Thera who authored the Sri Sumangala biography, the biggest biography published in Sri Lanka was awarded the Honours Degree for literature by the Ruhunu University and also the Pravachana Visharada title by the Sri Rohana Sanga Sabha.

Bentota Dalada Perahera

Richmond WIJESEKERA, Bentota Group Correspondent

The annual Dalada Perahera of Bentota will be held on December 19. This Perahera is conducted every year in memory of the Arahant Maha Kasyapa whose tooth relic is enshrined at the Galapatha Raja Maha Viharaya, Bentota.

AGM

The Annual General Meting of the Old Girls’ Association Colombo Branch of Sujatha College, Matara will be held at the Jana Kala Centre, Pelawatta, Battaramulla on December 18 at 9.30 am.