Quick Look

A new journey : After six years The restored train that was destroyed at ‘Peraliya’ on the southern coastal railway line in the December 26, 2004 tsunami with over 1,700 on board, travelled from Colombo Fort Station to the location where the tragedy occurred yesterday, six years after its fatal journey. The incident, the worst rail disaster in Sri Lanka’s history claimed more than 1,700 lives. The train took the journey amid religious observances and commemoration programs to remember those who died during the disaster. Picture by A S M Irshad

Vocational training for disabled youth

P P G Sugathadasa - Thihagoda Group Correspondent

The Social Services Ministry has taken measures to commence vocational training programs for disabled men and women.

Social Services Director Hemachandra Hewage said over 30 vocational training courses are being conducted at training institutes in Ketawala and Wattegama in the Kandy district, Seeduwa and Amunucumbura in Gampaha district and Lambuyaya in the Hambantota district. Residential facilities with board and lodging and medical facilities are available free of charge.

The course duration is two years. A monthly allowance will also be paid to each trainee.

Any disabled person aged between 16 to 35 could apply for these courses, Hewage told the Daily News.

Kasippu den raided

A A L Dias - Matale district group corr

Galewela Police raided a Kasippu den in Korakahagolla area and seized 365,000 ml of Goda, 22,500 ml of Kasippu and a large haul of distilling apparatus along with two suspects.

Dambulla Magistrate Maheshika Dhanansuriya fined the suspects Rs 54,000. Galewela Police prosecuted.

Kandy-Jaffna bus service:

SLTB earns Rs 13.98 m

Sanjaya Asela Mathurata

Sri Lanka Transport Board Yatinuwara Depot has earned Rs 13.98 million from the Kandy-Jaffna bus service upto November this year. The Yatinuwara Depot operates eight buses in this route daily and 170,760 passengers have been transported during the period. The Depot has earned Rs 41.33 million from Kandy-Maharagama Cancer Hospital, Kandy-Balangoda Sabaragamuwa University and Kandy-Colombo bus services during the past eleven months.

Yatinuwara Depot Manager Sarath Walagampaya said new bus services to different destinations would be started .

Singapore help for water supply process

The Singaporean Government expressed its willingness to assist Sri Lanka’s water supply process, Singapore Environment and Water Resources Minister Yaacob Ibrahim said.

He expressed these views when he met Water Supply and Drainage Minister Dinesh Gunawardena in Singapore recently, a communique issued by the Water Supply and Drainage Ministry said. The two Ministers discussed about exchanging technology between the two countries, efficiency in technology and management and mechanical assistance for purification of water for reuse.

The Singaporean Minister expressed satisfaction on the present economic development of Sri Lanka, the communique added.

Scholarship bonanza for foreign students

Dinesh de Alwis

Over 150 special Presidential scholarships for foreign students would be granted to follow higher education in Sri Lankan universities.

Management, Law, Engineering, Arts and Medical degrees would be offered free to them, said Higher Education Minister S B Dissanayake.

He was addressing a function for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Singapore’s Nanyang University and Sri Lankan’s Higher Education Ministry for the exchange of Postgraduate scholarship.

The Minister said that there is big demand for Sri Lankan University degrees by foreign students.

Measures will be taken to grant scholarships to foreign students covering a number of countries, he said.

“We are teaching them free and hope to give them an adequate allowance to continue their studies,” he said.

School equipment distribution

A ceremony to distribute shoes and school equipment to 104 students of Ananda Vidyalaya, Kottawa will be held on January 4 at 9 am at the school. Funds will be provided by the Social Services Department.

Education Minister Bandula Gunawardena will be the Chief Guest.

Mass Media Awards Ceremony

The Asia Mass Media Awards Ceremony 2010 organized by the Sri Lanka Mass Media Foundation will be held on December 27 at 7 pm at Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium.

Forty-five delegates from several Asian countries will participate at the awards ceremony. The theme of the ceremony ‘Most ethical mass media for a better tomorrow.’

Pirith for New Year

An all-night pirith chanting to invoke blessings on the country and people in connection with the dawning of the New Year will be held on January 1 at the Sri Sumana Buddhist Centre, Dangala, Kalubovitiyana. Viharadhipathi Ven B Somaloka Thera will preside.

Religious ceremony

A seven-day religious ceremony organized by the Yahamulla Puja Bhoomi Sanwardhana Padanama to bless the Government, country and people will be held at the Yahamulla Sri Bodhirukkaramaya from December 27, 2010 to January 2, 2011.

A Bodhi Pooja, Deva Pooja, Seth Pirith and Mal Perahera are to be held under the patronage of Viharadhipathi Ven Yahamulla Anuruddha Thera.

The ceremony will end with an alms-giving to the Maha Sangha on January 2 at noon.

Hotel School extends enrollment date

Suraj A Bandara

The Anuradhapura Hotel School affiliated to the Sri Lanka Tourism and Hotel Management Institute (SLTHMI) has extended the closing date for the enrollment of students for 2011. Applications will be entertained until December 31, the Anuradhapura Hotel School Administration announced.

With the boom in tourism in Sri Lanka, the SLTHMI has provided professional training for the fast developing tourism industry and its related fields. Students will receive in depth training in the fields of hospitality and travel. The school conducts three courses and students can select the courses according to their preferences.

Applications can be collected either from Colombo or Anuradhapura Hotel Schools. More details can be obtained on 025-2223315.

Special massage course in the offing

Suraj A Bandara

The Nawinna Ayurvedic Research Institute has introduced a special massage course to provide a formal training to employees of massage parlours and health care centres to improve their standards of the service.

This course will be conducted at the Nawinna Ayurvedic Research Institute to prevent people patronizing bogus massage parlours rampant throughout the country. There is an increasing demand for the Sri Lankan masseurs in Japan. Japanese students will also follow the course. Ayurvedic massage and other therapies have become popular among foreign visitors.

The duration of the course is 600 hours. Only 40 students will be enrolled for the first intake. An internationally recognized certificate will be issued to those who successfully complete the course. An advanced diploma course on massaging will also be held in the future.

The course will train practioners, health advisors and therapists employed in massage and medical therapy parlours in hotels.

Development project underway

A M Gunasekera Banda, Balangoda Central Group Correspondent

Work on all rural infrastructure development projects implemented under the Jathika Saviya - Gama Neguma in the Pelmadulla Divisional Secretariat Division is nearing completion.

The Economic Development Ministry had allocated Rs 2.75 million, said Divisional Secretary Rohana Senaratne.

Work started on 42 rural roads spending Rs 1.24 million while Rs one million has been spent for 25 special development projects.

Rs 51 million was also spent for 16 minor irrigation canals and anicuts, he said.

Reservoirs renovated

Mahaweli Systems Corr

Rural reservoirs Devagiriya Wewa, Kirimetiya Wewa, Meegaswewa, Moragaha Ulpatha, Naaminioya, Rathkaralwewa and Thimbiriatta Wewa were renovated by the Agrarian Services Department.

The Government had allocated Rs 14,400,000 to renovate these tanks.

Matale District Parliamentarian Lakshman Wasantha Perera had been instrumental in getting the funds.

Man injured in trap gun mishap

A A L Dias, Matale district group corr

A man aged 20 who went to pluck Nelli in the Nikula forest reserve close to Naula was injured when he accidentally trampled a trap gun.

Chanaka Premaratne was rushed to Dambulla Base Hospital and later transferred to Kurunegala Teaching Hospital in a critical condition.

Naula Police are investigating.

Cannabis seized among beans plantations

Navaratne Bandara, Mahaweli Systems Corr

Five cannabis plants grown among beans in Timbirigahamadittahena, Madugalla, were found by Udadumbara Police.

Police arrested two suspects.

Special Thuwa

MA Phakurdeen Addalaichenai Group Corr

The South Eastern University of Sri Lanka remembered those who died in the tsunami catastrophe on December 2004 by reciting 'Special Thuwa' and observing two minutes silence to mark the National Safety Day on Sunday, December 26 at the Oluvil Campus.

 

The annual Handicraft Exhibition and Trade Fair of the Colombo District NISCO Co-operative Union affiliated to the National Youth Services Council was commissioned by Youth Affairs and Skills Development Minister Dullas Alahapperuma at the National Youth Centre, Maharagama recently. Here, the Minister discusses with a craftsman at his exhibition stall. Picture by Wehelle Piyathilake, Maharagama Special Corr

Many artefacts found around the Mirisawetiya Stupa are facing destruction with lack of attention of the authorities. Mirisawetiya was the first major work of King Dutugemunu where the King’s Jayakonthaya is enshrined. Picture by Senapura D Nissanka, Anuradhapura East Group Correspondent