Quick Look

State Art and Sculpture Festival

The State Art and Sculpture Festival will be held on June 28 at 10 a.m. at the John De Silva Memorial Theatre, Nelum Pokuna Mawatha, Colombo 7 under the patronage of Culture and the Arts Affairs Minister T.B.Ekanayake, a Cultural Affairs Department spokesman said.

"This programme is jointly organized by the Cultural Affairs Department and the State Art and Sculpture Panel of the Art Council of Sri Lanka. It is organized under the direction of the Ministry of Culture and the Arts," he said.

Arts and sculpture competitions were conducted under the categories of paintings, sculpture, landscape, portrait, painting arts and frescoes copies.

"Certificates and cash awards will be presented to the first ,second and third place winners under the above sections. Special prizes and awards will be presented for the best creation in the festival under the guidance of the state arts and sculpture panel, "he said.

Veteran Artistes Motagedara Wanigaratna, Sybil Wettasinghe and Noeline Fernando will be presented life time awards for their dedicated service.

An exhibition of arts and sculptures will be held. at the National Art Gallery from June 28 to 30 from 9.00a.m. to 5. p.m.

Vice District Governor

Lion Ganamini Jagath Sumanasena was unanimously elected the second Vice District Governor for 2012/2013 at the district 306 A1 seventh Annual District Convention at Karapitiya Medical Faculty Auditorium Galle. Lion Sumanasena is an active member of the Lions Club of Dehiwala – Mount Lavinia and hails from Weragampitiya, Matara.

He has been a council member of the Chamber of Construction Industries, Sri Lanka and has held many Lionistic positions in 12 years of his Lionistic career.

He has contributed to the district fulfilling responsibilities such as 2007/2008 Deputy Cabinet Secretary – Membership Development, 2009/2010 Deputy Cabinet Secretary, 2010/2011 District Cabinet Secretary and 2011/2012 DG's Special Delegate for Excellence in Club Administration.

Deadly ride

Edward Weeerasinghe, Kelaniya group corr

A father of three died at the National Hospital, Colombo after he was injured when the three wheeler he was travelling, collided with a van.

H A Priyantha Chandana, 45, of Gampaha was on his way to buy fish when the three wheeler collided with a van at Bandarawatte Junction on the Colombo - Kandy road on Monday.

The three wheeler driver who was critical, was also admitted to the National Hospital, Colombo.

Gampaha Police arrested the van driver.

Man dies in accident

Edward Weeerasinghe, Kelaniya group corr

A man died on the spot when he was knocked down by a lorry at the pedestrian crossing in Welisara, Ragama on the Colombo - Negombo road on Monday.

Police took the lorry driver into custody.

Sand mining goes on unabated

Raja Waidyasekara - Tissamaharama Spl. Corr

Excessive mechanized sand mining in Kirindiganga in Tissamaharama, is causing immense hardships to residents.

Residents of Suriya Ama Magama, Halmillawa, are the worst affected. Sand mining goes on unabated day and night with the blessings of the powerful, residents say.

This illicit act has led to the flowing of sea water in to the river. The NWSD provides water from the Kiridiganga. It has posed a problem for pipe borne water too, as the banks of the Kirindiganga are in danger.

Resettlement process finalised

Jaffna special corr

Namal Rajapaksa MP for Hambantota and President, Tharunyata Hetak Organisation, handed over documents where 94 lakhs of rupees were allocated for the resettlement of eighty families in Thiru Murugandy, living in welfare camps and in houses of relatives during the past three years. The deeds for the land settlement were also handed over to the resettlers.

Industries and Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiuddeen, Private Transport Services Minister C.B. Ratnayake, EPDP parliamentarian M. Chandrakumar, Governor, Northern Province Maj Gen G.A. Chandrasiri, Unaus Farook MP, Mullaithivu Government Agent Vethanayagam, AGA Oddusuddan Thireskumar and army officials participated in the event.

Ancient cannon found

Mahinda P Liyanage, - Galle Daily News corr

The Archaeology Department Underwater Archaeology Unit found a cannon believed to belong to the British era in Sri Lanka, in the sea close to the Old Parliament building complex in Colombo. Researchers spotted the vintage cannon while engaged in the archaeology impact assessment of the Colombo Port New City Development Project, under the direction of Archaeology Director General Dr Senarath Dissanayake. According to Unit officials, further research is needed to ascertain the exact period to which the cannon belongs, as the marks and symbols on it are covered by seashells. It is also corrugated badly.

The antiquated cannon will be preserved following chemical conservation treatment.

A decision will be made as to where it will be housed if the cannon is removed from its present location.