President Mahinda Rajapaksa making the first financial contribution to the 2,600 Sambuddhathva Jayanthi Fund to construct the largest Buddha statue in a sitting posture in South Asia at Makumbura in Homagama, at Temple Trees yesterday. Around 2,600 small
Buddha statues will be kept at the feet of the giant Buddha statue. Here Buddha statue Development Committee chairman Education Minister Bandula Gunawardena offering a Buddha statue which is to be kept at the base of the main Buddha statue to the President. Picture by Sudath Silva

Public warned to be extra-vigilant:

Heightened dengue threat

The Health Ministry yesterday warned the public to be extra vigilant concerning the dengue epidemic following new evidence showing the dengue mosquito had taken to breeding inside domestic wells in addition to its normal breeding sources of used receptacles, overhead gutters and discarded tyres .

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Several dansal banned due to health risk

The Public Health Inspectors’ (PHI) Association had inspected a large number of dansal islandwide during the Vesak season and had banned several due to their unclean surroundings and serving food of questionable quality, PHI Association chairman Upul Rohana said.

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Lanka to export maize for the first time

Maize is to be exported for the first time in Sri Lanka. The government has taken measures to export maize within the next two weeks, said Agriculture Minister Mahinda Yapa Abeywardane. “Sri Lanka is already self-sufficient in maize. The surplus will be exported to Canada, Taiwan, etc. The annual local requirement of maize is 180,000 MTs. Presently, 200,000 MTs is produced in the country. About 10,000MTs from the surplus will be exported,” he said.

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Net widens for Army deserters

Over 2,500 arrested in first three months:

The Army announced that over 2,500 soldiers who deserted during the war period were arrested during the first three months of this year. Around 36,500 soldiers who deserted were arrested during 2009, 2010 and 2011), Army Media Spokesman Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasooriya said.

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