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Home » News‘Kandula’ makes maiden appearance
For the first time, the Kelaniya Temple’s tusker ‘Kandula’ which was donated by Thailand more than 20 years ago, was given the honour this week of carrying the casket containing the sacred tooth relic at the Kandy Esala Perahera, considered to be one of Asia’s most spectacular pageants. Kandula was one of the two elephants [...]
IRD takes new measures against corruption
Outgoing Tax Chief says if corruption is not killed, it will kill Sri Lanka Taxpayers encouraged to report corrupt officials directly or anonymously By S. Rubatheesan The Inland Revenue Department (IRD) has introduced a string of measures to root out corruption within the system, including an incentive-based mechanism where honest staff members are encouraged to [...]
Liquor sticker security breach casts doubts about Indian company’s ID project bid
By Sandun Jayawardana Concerns have been raised regarding an Indian company bidding to build the system for Sri Lanka’s digital ID project following widespread issues over the supposedly “foolproof” security sticker it supplied for liquor bottles. The Indian company, Madras Security Printers (MSP), won the contract in 2018 to supply security stickers to be fixed [...]
20 public officials run into storm over Business class travel
Some twenty public officials are reported to have flouted a Presidential Secretariat directive to travel on Economy class instead of Business class for their official visits overseas. A Treasury circular will be issued soon to secure the reimbursements of the difference in fare if it has been out of state funds while a fresh reminder [...]
Customs duty on imported milk powder reimposed
Special commodity levy on imported eggs reduced The Treasury has withdrawn the duty waiver granted for imported milk powder. The decision has been taken with the aim of adjusting to world market prices, a senior official said. Accordingly, the applicable Customs import duty on the importation of powdered milk is 20% or Rs. 225 for [...]
NPC publishes new rules for public complaints against police
The National Police Commission (NPC) has gazetted new rules of procedure under which public complaints against police officers or the police service will be recorded and investigated. The last time such rules were promulgated was in November 2017. Complaints can now be lodged with the NPC’s Public Complaints Investigation Division (PCID) or with any of [...]
Chinese project to make charcoal from forest timber stirs Thanamalwila rage
By Tharushi Weerasinghe The opening of a new charcoal factory in Arambekema, Thanamalwila has been halted following outrage from villagers who claim that it is in violation of a few environment protection laws and the terms of its contracts with the state. The company claims everything is approved by the state. The charcoal factory, a [...]
Dutch delegation here to oversee return of Kandyan Kingdom loot
By Yomal Senerath-Yapa The Dutch State Secretary for Culture and Media, Gunay Uslu, will arrive in Sri Lanka today on a five-day visit leading a delegation to sign the legal document transferring the ownership of the cultural artifacts that will be returned to Sri Lanka later this year. The decision was taken by the [...]
Illegal interference by foreigners in local gem business; Parliamentary committee urges Govt. to take action
A Parliamentary Oversight Committee has recommended the Government to curb illegal interference by foreigners in the gem industry. This is particularly in regard to Chinese nationals who come to Sri Lanka and engage in business activities. In its report titled “Tax policies for Development of Gem and Jewellery sector,” the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Environment, [...]
Lakshmi, wife of Felix Dias Bandaranaike passes away
Lakshmi Dias Bandaranaike, widow of the late lawyer and politician Felix R. Dias Bandaranaike passed away peacefully at home yesterday. A past pupil of Ladies’ College, Colombo, she met her future husband Felix Dias Bandaranaike at the Law Faculty at Peradeniya. They married in 1953. Both husband and wife later passed out as Barristers in [...]
698 firearms issued to 154 politicians from 1980 to 1990 not yet returned: Defence Ministry
Nearly 700 firearms issued to politicians from 1980 to 1990 have not been returned, according to the Defence Ministry. Statistics released by the Defence Ministry reveal 698 firearms had been issued to 154 politicians during this 10-year period but none had been returned. The list of politicians and the firearms they had failed to return [...]
13 injured in bus collision
At least 13 were injured in a collision between a Vavuniya bound and Kandy bound bus in the Danovita area last night, Police said. The Vavuniya bound bus had rammed into the Colombo – Kandy bus, from behind, while it had stopped at a halt. The injured were admitted to the Warakapola hospital. The driver [...]
New online database for state vehicles
State vehicles will need to be registered in a Finance Ministry web-based platform before December 31, according to a Treasury directive. The move follows revelations that the government does not have a proper recording system for such vehicles. In a circular issued this week, Treasury Secretary Mahinda Siriwardana directed that vehicles in possession of the [...]
October rains will determine water availability for Maha cultivation
By Kasun Warakapitiya The availability of water for the Maha season paddy cultivation will depend on the rainfall between October and November, Irrigation Director General A. Gunasekara said. He pointed out that the irrigation tank water levels had further deteriorated, leaving only 22% of the full water capacity of the tanks. “The water levels of [...]
Despondent farmers let their drought-hit fields go to the elephants
Farmers from Mahakabukkadawala Mohoriya village, in Puttalam district say they have no option but to give up around 300 acres of paddyland they had safeguarded from wild elephants against all odds, as the crops are destroyed due to lack of water. They lamented that the Mohoriya tank at the end of their paddy lands has [...]
Illegal migration on the rise, authorities scramble to act
Detected cases reveal both forged and genuine documents are used by illegal migrants Racketeers profit from people’s desperation to migrate; most attempts end in unpleasant consequences Immigration officials at airport work in coordination with embassy officials By Sandun Jayawardana Amid a sharp rise in illegal migration attempts due to the economic crisis, immigration authorities are [...]
Tea estate duel: Minister justifies rant; planters decry behaviour
By Ryan Cassiechetty The serene environment at the Ratwatte Estate in Ukuwela, known for its high-quality tea, was disturbed last Sunday when a n angry cabinet minister yelled at an estate official and threatened to hit him. At the centre of the row was an unauthorised hut built by a person who, estate officials said, [...]
Dehydration risks rise for infants and elderly during dry spells
By Nathara Abeywickrema The importance of water for the prevention of nutrition-related, non-communicable diseases has emerged owing to the limitation of access to safe drinking water in the face of a prolonged dry spell, nutritionists say. According to the Disaster Management Centre’s (DMC) latest report, 280,400 people and 81,203 families across 17 districts do not [...]
Meningococcal infection in Galle – prompt action by Karapitiya Hospital & health officials at ground level
Only “small” stock of vaccine available By Kumudini Hettiarachchi As the Galle Prison faced an outbreak by the rare but serious meningococcal bacterium, grave concerns were raised whether there are adequate stocks of vaccines in Sri Lanka. “We have adequate stocks for vaccination against the meningococcal bacterium at the Port Health Office located at the [...]
President promotes tourism-led development for east
President Ranil Wickremesinghe has announced a comprehensive plan for the Arugam Bay tourist zone. The President emphasised the importance of meticulous planning in identifying areas for development with the intention of executing the plan’s initiatives systematically. The President highlighted the prospect of achieving significant income by promoting water skiing and other water sports, which are [...]
Ceylon Motor Traders’ Association asks Govt. to stop importing older buses
A motor trade organisation has expressed concerns over Sri Lanka’s existing policy of importing buses up to ten years old. Accordingly, the Ceylon Motor Traders’ Association (CMTA) has called on the Government to revise its policy. Last week import restrictions imposed for commercial vehicles and buses were relaxed by the Government. While lifting the restrictions [...]
Crime wave intensifies insecurity in the country
By Ryan Casiechetty A spate of robberies and thefts continue to be reported from various parts of the country, adding to the crime rate in the country and creating fear among the public. The investigations may be of lesser importance to the police, who are forced to pay attention to grave crimes reported, increasing numbers [...]
Adhivasi chief pays tribute with bee honey
By L B Senaratne The traditional honey offering to the Sacred Tooth Relic took place on Saturday morning as part of the first Randoli Perahera ritual. Vannila Aththo, the leader of the Adhivasi community from Dambana, carried the bee honey in a dried pumpkin receptacle and met Diyawadana Nilame Pradeep Nilanga Dela at the Hewisi [...]
Idling compost machine attracts garbage
The composting machine given to Public Health Inspectors in the Galle Municipal Council which was neglected for over four years will now be handed over to the Engineering Division of the same council. This decision was taken at the District Development Committee meeting. Parliamentarian Vajira Abeywardena said he was receiving complaints from Heenpandalama villagers that [...]
Alert on insidious efforts of commercial formula milk companies
Importance of breastfeeding for both mother and child underscored By Kumudini Hettiarachchi Robust were the discussions around the very important subject of breastfeeding which impacts on all future generations of Sri Lanka’s children. While all the speakers stressed how strong evidence pointed to the huge benefits of breastfeeding not only to little ones but also [...]
Crowds are asked to behave responsibly at Esala Perahera
By Dilushi Wijesinghe A top veterinarian closely associated with the welfare of elephants in the Kandy Esala Perahera has urged the public to act cautiously to prevent creating panic among elephants in the pageant. Professor Ashoka Dangolla, of the Department of Veterinary Clinical Science at the Peradeniya University, told the Sunday Times that sudden movements [...]
1959 Dalada perahera: Tragic incident that gave rise to the name Alimudukkuwa
By Udumbara Udugama This year, the Kandy Sri Dalada Perahera began on August 21, with five Kumbal and five Randoli peraheras and will conclude with the daval perahera on August 31 – the day after Nikini Full Moon Poya. In the very early days, the perahera was not as grand as it is now. It [...]
