Quick Look

National Health Kala Udana

The Health Ministry will organize a National Health Kala Udana, a program to enable the exhibition of talents of all health workers.

Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena has given instructions to health officers to call applications from candidates to participate in this program.

Accordingly applications should be sent on or before January 20 by registered post to reach the Additional Secretary Development, Health Ministry, Colombo 10. Literary, musical, arts, cinema and other fields of art competitions will be held.

Motorcyclist dies

Mahinda P Liyanage Galle Central special corr

A motorcyclist knocked down by a van yesterday morning along the Galle-Matara highway near Koggala Air Force Base has succumbed to injuries on admission to Karapitiya Teaching Hospital.

The victim has been identified as Piyadigamage Wimaladasa of Koggala, Habaraduwa. Habaraduwa police are investigating.

President to open Bhikku University

President Mahinda Rajapaksa will open the new University premises of the Anuradhapura Buddha Shrawaka Bhikku University with the aim of making it fully fledged Internatioal Buddhist University.

The President will open the premises at 10 am on January 22.

The ceremony will be held with the attendance of a number of Buddhist dignitories.

Fines top Rs 14.6 m

Wehelle Piyathilake Maharagama special corr

Rs 14.6 million has been collected as vice and traffic fines in Maharagama last year. The number of cases reported to the Courts from the vice division was 14,321. The amount collected as fines was Rs 4,023,900 while Rs 5,214,195 was collected from spot fines.

The number of cases reported to Courts from the Traffic division was 1,343. Rs 5,315,250 was collected as fines. A total of 628 cases were filed for possessing heroin and the accused were fined Rs 2,183,500.

Rs 971,500 was fined in 286 kasippu cases.

CP schools reopen today

Asela Kuruluwansa

Central Province schools closed due to the bad weather will reopen today, said Central Province Chief Minister Sarath Ekanayake.

Schools were closed from January 10 to 14.

Special classes will be held on five Saturdays from February to March to cover the syllabus.

Dharmaraja College, Kandy and Gothami Balika Vidyalaya will not reopen today.

Floods claim four wild jumbos

Priyanka Kurugala

Four wild elephant deaths have been reported due to floods, Sri Lanka Wildlife Conservation Department Director General Chandrawansa Pathiraja said.

He said a survey has still not been conducted in wildlife parks to ascertain the exact number of deaths of wild animals.

Other than the baby elephant which was stuck amidst branches when it was washed away in floods, the department has been informed of only other three elephant deaths.

Universities reopen after flood havoc

Dinesh de Alwis

The Eastern University and Rajarata University which were temporarily closed last week due to floods will re-open on January 24. The Eastern University was flooded on January 10 with three to four feet water damaging most buildings, laboratory and office equipment.

“If the weather does not improve we will have to extend the opening date,” acting Vice Chancellor Dr K Premakumar told the Daily News.

Meanwhile the academic activities of three Faculties of the Rajarata University will reopen on January 24.

Treasure hunt:

Five held

M D Mahinda Dewahuwa group corr

A former employee of the Archaeological Department were among five suspects arrested by the Galewela police when digging for a treasure at an archaeological reserve close to the Neelagiri Rajamaha Viharaya in Nilagama, Galewela.

The suspects were arrested on Friday at 1.30 am with mammoties, iron bars, robes, red cloth, bottles with various liquid and gloves. The suspects P G Jayatissa, P G Karunadasa, R M Dharmapala, W M Ukku Banda and J M Wijerathna were remanded.

Essential food items donated

Amila Prabath Wanasinghe

Anuradhapura District Parliamentarian Sehean Semasingha donated essential food items from his personal wealth to about 1500 displaced persons accommodated in welfare centres located at Madawalagama, Dahaiyagama and Galkadawala in the Anuradhapura District. The donations included sugar, rice,dry fish and other essential food items.

Polythene free zone

The Homagama Base Hospital Health Education Unit has taken action to make the hospital complex an area free of polythene.

Announcements are made continuously requesting the public to refrain from bringing polythene bags, plastic bottles, etc to the hospital.

Visitors are advised to bring food in non-plastic vessels or wrapped in plantain leaves.