Quick Look

Dog meat sold as venison

Yasaratne GAMAGE

Naula Police have deployed a special team to arrest a person who had slaughtered dogs to sell the meat as venison at Rs 350 per kilo to hotels, restaurants and residents.

The Police on a tip-off raided his house at Mellipitiya and found carcasses, bones, skulls and other parts of dogs and tools used to slaughter the animals.

The suspect had fled the area before the Police arrived.

Coastguard save woman in difficulty

Coastguard officers on duty at Galle Face rescued a woman from drowning on Thursday.

Three coastguard officers who witnessed the woman struggling in the water, acted swiftly and took her ashore for first aid treatment.

She was unconscious and recovered after treatment and later transferred to the General Hospital by Policemen. The woman was identified as Dayani Wijerathna, 48, from Pallebadda, Godakawela.

The officers who rescued the woman are chief petty officer L G M Priyantha, Able Seaman JSK Zoysa and Able Seaman GCP de Silva.

Three decades of service to the Buddha Sasana

Gangarama Viharavasi Ven Dr Kirinde Assaji Thera marks three decades of service to the Buddha Sasana with pinkamas at the Hunupitiye Gangarama Temple on March 20, his birthday.

Dr Kirinde Assaji Thera is related to late Dr KiGangaramarinde Sri Dhammananda Mahanayaka Thera, the founder of the Buddhist Missionary Society in Malaysia.

Ven. Assaji Thera ordained under Ven Galaboda Sri Gnanissara Thera of the Gangarama Temple on May 15, 1981. He received his education at Sri Gnaneswara Pirivena where he obtained his Praacheena Panditha Degree. He received his doctorate in Buddhist Philosophy at Delhi University, India.

Ven. Assaji Thera has authored “ Hela Bodu Sirith Virith”,a book on the Way of Buddhist Traditions and Practice in Sri Lanka and “Yuga Diwiyata Pivisena Obata” (For those Entering Marriage).

He is a board member of the Sri Jayawardhanapura University and an adviser to the Ministry of Education. He is also the principal of

Sumangala Daham Pasala and head of the Avissawella Sumangala Sri Sudharmarama Pirivena Working Committee. Chamikara

World Poetry Day

Priyanka Kurugala

The Cultural and Arts Affairs Ministry and Cultural Affairs Department will celebrate World Poetry Day under the patronage of Cultural and Arts Affairs Minister T B Ekanayake at the John De Silva Commemoration Theatre on March 21 at 9 am, a Cultural Affairs Department source said.

The Cultural and Arts Affairs Ministry in collaboration with the Cultural Affairs Department has organized a series of programmes to mark World Poetry Day which falls on March 21. Veteran lyricist Rathna Sri Wijesinghe will deliver the keynote address on the occasion. A book of poetry Diyatha Dinnana Kavi ,will be launched on the occasion.

Felicitation ceremony

The Group of ‘89 of Gnandoya Maha Vidyalaya, Kalutara will hold a teachers’ special ceremony on March 24 from 10 am at the Golden Beach and River Hotel, Maggona. Fifty past teachers of the school and former Principal G. Kannangara who rendered yeomen service to the school from 1980 to 1990 will be felicitated on this occasion.

Postgraduate diploma course

Applications are being called for the Diploma and Postgraduate Diploma in Writership and Communication for the year 2012 by the Sinhala and Mass Communication Department of the Sri Jayewardenepura University.

The Postgraduate Diploma course is open for those with experience in the field of media or art with a degree from a recognized University. Those completing the diploma will qualify for the unversity’s BA external degree course. The lectures will be held from 8.30 am to 3.30 pm on Saturdays. The course duration is one year. Applications should be submitted on or before March 31.For further details on Telephone Nos. 2892695, 2802696 or2803191 or E-mail: [email protected]

On study tour

A group of 17 UPFA and Opposition Western Provincial Councillors serving in the Consultative Committees of the of the provincial Ministries of Road Development, Tourism, Housing and Construction and Fisheries left on a 10 day study tour of Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. The group led by Provincial Minister Nimal Lanza also includes Opposition Chief Whip U.George Perera and Provincial Road Development Ministry Secretary G.I. Ratnayake.