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The once-flooded streets are now filled with bags of clothes, television sets, electrical appliances and other items that were under several feet of water and mud for several days. This Sedawatte scene captured by our photojournalist Amila Gamage yesterday is a familiar sight in several parts of the flood-hit areas, though the manner in which [...]
China gets huge projects in Polonnaruwa District
Several multimillion dollar development projects in the Polonnaruwa district are set to be doled out on single-bid basis to Chinese companies in a departure from the new Government’s proclaimed policy of calling for open, competitive tenders. Exim Bank of China is lending the necessary funds on concessional terms. Two such companies have already started gratis [...]
PMO blames Museum Director for damage to A’pura Buddha statue at Temple Trees
The Prime Minister’s office has blamed the Director of the National Museum for the damage caused to an Anuradhapura era Buddhist statue while it was on display at the Temples Tree during the Vesak period. Prime Minister’s secretary Saman Ekanayake told the Sunday Times that an initial probe by the PM’s office pointed to lapses [...]
Helitours to acquire two civilian passenger aircraft
Helitours, the Sri Lanka Air Force’s domestic air service, is to acquire two civilian passenger aircraft on full payment/lease basis for a regular, profitable and reliable operation of a domestic commercial air travel business, officials said. Approval was granted by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Management (CCEM) to establish a Public Private Partnership (PPP) with [...]
Orders to evacuate people from landslide-prone areas
Five District Secretaries have been told to identify and relocate people living in areas susceptible to landslides. Earlier only warnings were issued to people living in such areas to vacate by themselves and find alternative accommodation. The new move came as fresh landslide prone areas, including the Hantana mountain overlooking Kandy town, were identified as [...]
Fire at BIA
A fire broke out at the power backup room in the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) yesterday, a duty manager said. He said the fire was brought under control within 10 minutes and services at the airport continued uninterrupted. The cause of the fire was believed to be a short-circuit in the electrical system, but investigations [...]
And once again, veggie prices are on the rise
The heavy rains and floods have destroyed crops and land, causing the price of vegetables to skyrocket, and vendors say that until new crops are harvested there will be no reduction in prices. At the Dambulla Economic Centre, one of the country’s main vegetable wholesale hubs, produce was coming in slower than usual, Manning Market’s [...]
Vulnerable children the focus of care agencies
Child victims of the flood and landslide disasters – some homeless, some separated from their families amid the chaos of displacement in temporary shelters – are being looked after by a network of state agencies. As children are often in danger of abduction and physical and sexual abuse the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) is [...]
Court of Appeal summons CMC Commissioner, CMO for alleged contempt of court
Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) Commissioner V.K. Anura and its Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr. Ruwan Wijayamuni have been summoned before the Court of Appeal on June 24, on contempt of Court charges. The summons were in response to a petition filed by Dr. Anna Kariyawasm, alleging violation of a settlement reached in court, between the [...]
Japanese largesse for Sri Lanka
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe yesterday pledged to President Maithripala Sirisena over fifty billion rupees in assistance from his country. The funds will be for the construction of power transmission lines and water supply projects in the North Central Province. It will also be used for construction of power transmission lines in the Eastern Province. [...]
Rs 7m WHO grant for Health clinics for flood victims
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has granted Rs. 7 million to the Health Ministry to conduct Health clinics and programmes for flood affected victims. Disaster Preparedness and Response Unit Director, Dr A.D.H. Herath said the WHO made an initial payment of Rs 1 million, while the balance Rs 6 million is available for additional relief [...]
Work resumes on new Kachchativu church as ‘weather clears’
Reconstruction of the new church in Kachchativu with the support of the Sri Lanka Navy, which was suspended recently (the Sunday Times May 15), has recommenced. The Navy said in a statement issued this week that construction work had been temporarily suspended due to the inclement weather and, with the improvement in the weather, the [...]
Vehicle importers claim tax calculations irrational
Vehicle importers have urged the Government to reconsider the increase in the Unit Rate Tax on the basis that calculations were irrational, resulting in prices of some vehicles soaring by as much as 60 percent. Two of the leading vehicle importers associations said the move to increase the tax would have a severe impact on [...]
Future is dark for unfortunates on the Kelani banks
The banks of the Kelani River near Wellampitiya and Kolonnawa are a wasteland with broken houses, children playing in pools of stagnant water, livestock wandering through the muck and heaps of garbage and debris piled up on roadsides. As the floodwaters recede, people gradually returning to their homes – those that remain intact – assessing [...]
Hit by floods, now by official apathy
More than a week after devastating floods affected thousands of people in the suburbs of Colombo, many are still awaiting some relief from the state to rebuild their lives. Residents in Wellampitiya, Kohilawatte and Angoda complained that neither the Grama Niladharis nor any other government officials had visited them. Hundreds of residents from the Kittampokuna [...]
UGC plans web-based complaints system to stop ragging
The University Grants Commission (UGC) will soon introduce a web based complaining system for victims of ragging, UGC Chairman Prof. Mohan de Silva said. The move came as anti-ragging groups are activating themselves to containing ragging in universities. Prof. Silva said that the Standing Committee Gender Equity/Equality is discussing the introduction of a policy against [...]
Thajudeen case: Former SDIG further remanded till June 9
Colombo Additional Magistrate Nishantha Pieris further remanded former Senior DIG Anura Senanayake till June 9, in connection with the murder of former national rugby player Wasim Thajudeen. The Additional Magistrate refusing bail to the SDIG, noted that he would act according to the provisions of the Constitution and Criminal Law and not on the whims [...]
Former SLPA Chairman charged in bribery case out on bail
Colombo Chief Magistrate Gihan Pilapitiya granted bail to former Ports Authority Chairman Dr. Priyath Bandu Wickrama and two others, in a bribery case filed by the Bribery Commission. The Magistrate, while imposing travel restrictions on the former chairman, granted him bail with two sureties of Rs. 5 million each. The Director General of the Commission [...]
Pedestrian killed: CCTV footage leads to arrest of hit-and-run three-wheeler driver
Closed-circuit TV recordings obtained from a shop helped detectives to track down a three-wheeler driver responsible for the death of a pedestrian, it was revealed during a coroner’s court inquiry. The footage showed the man was thrown to the side of the road when a speeding three-wheeler struck him down at 9.30 p.m. in Mulleriyawa [...]
Peradeniya Uni. and SLT sign MoU for free WiFi facilities within campus
The University of Peradeniya and Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish free WiFi facilities within the University. The MoU sets out 23 points in the initial stages of the project, where free WiFi facilities would be available. SLT Chairman P.G. Kumarasinghe said this facility has been worked out jointly [...]
Little coordination, no deterrent laws main reasons for landslide tragedies
The landslide at Aranayake in the Kegalle District killing 37 people and trapping hundreds of families under its heavy sludge underscores the importance of state organisations taking their responsibility seriously. It is on record that despite the National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) declaring Aranayake as a highly hazardous place for habitation no action was taken [...]
Aranayaka’s deadly landslide: A survivor’s tale
Out of the depths of the tragedy that struck Aranayaka where in a flash many lives were buried in the mud, there have also been stories of survival. One such survivor is 16-year-old Sayumya Dilkie, a grade ten student who was preparing to sit for her Ordinary Level examination in December when tragedy struck her [...]
Mechanics flooded with motor cycles that had gone under
Motor mechanics are kept busy with a large number of motor cycles affected by the recent flooding being brought in for servicing. The Sunday Times witnessed over 75 motor cycles at a garage in the city that have been brought in for servicing after their engines had been affected by the flooding. Nalaka Niroshan, a [...]
Enter the psychiatrists to comfort citizens following a natural disaster
As floods and landslides wreaked havoc across the country, the Sri Lanka College of Psychiatrists stepped in to help the thousands of men, women and children affected by these disasters. Pointing out that many studies in the past have reported a significant increase in psychological morbidity after the occurrence of a natural disaster, the college’s [...]
Debris from flood-affected houses and garbage; deadly cocktail for dengue
Dumping debris in an adhoc manner from houses in the aftermath of the flood, could contribute to a rise in dengue cases, health officials warned. The warning came as the people in and around Colombo began cleaning their houses affected by the flood. Mattresses, pillows, electrical items and other household goods that cannot be used [...]
Solutions under our nose for better crisis co-ordination
For the past few years, Sri Lankans have been receiving text messages on their mobile phones from their President, wishing them a happy New Year in all three languages. The messages have irritated some, who see it as an invasion of privacy. These messages, though, make it clear that a mechanism exists whereby text messages [...]
In Meethotamulla, the suffering just gets worse
The Meethotamulla garbage dump, long an ecological problem and eyesore in Colombo, has caused more misery to nearby residents because of the floods. People returning to their homes found garbage-laden water had flowed inside, leaving most of their possessions unusable. L. Asanka, a resident of Kelani Tissa Gama, at Weragodella, Sedawatte, said that he and around [...]
After the floods, complaints regarding missing items flow in
As rescue workers and volunteers rushed to help flood victims, thieves moved in to remove electronic items, mobile phones, vehicle parts and other valuables from houses that went under water, police revealed yesterday. So far 22 suspects have been arrested and more complaints are flowing in, prompting the police to open up a special entry [...]
Fighting the toxic sludge
While floodwaters have receded in many areas, the people of Meethotamulla in Kolonnawa continue to face immense hardships in cleaning up their flood-damaged homes. Several roads in the area still remain underwater, more than a week after the heavy rains caused devastation. Residents in Nagahamulla road are not willing to take any more chances, and [...]