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More
than 4000 families displaced, over 1000 houses destroyed
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More than 4000 families displaced, over
1000 houses destroyed More than 4,000 families have been displaced and over 1,000 houses damaged in Galle, Kalutara and Colombo districts due to heavy floods caused by torrential rains. According to official reports, Galle was the most affected district in the flood-stricken region and in some areas roads are still under water and reported impassable. Transport had come to a standstill and under this situation government officials are finding it difficult to ascertain the exact figures of those affected. Several villages in Pitigala area have also submerged which has risen upto 12 feet displacing 600 families and damaging more than one hundred houses. Three hundred families have been displaced in the Niyagama area alone. Flood waters have risen to four and half feet in the Kosgoda area and as a result around 12 electricity posts have fallen across the roads disconnecting electricity supply. In addition roads such as Galle - Nagoda, Galle - Udugama and Udugama - Baddegama are also reported to have been inundated disrupting vehicular traffic. Forty houses in Kurupanawa area, 48 in Sandarawala and 12 in Gonagala have been washed away by floods. The road from Galle to Karapitiya Teaching Hospital had been under water on Saturday halting transport for two hours, according to official souries. Local politicians, police officers and Divisional Secretaries of the respective areas were discussing relief programmes for flood victims yesterday. Areas such as Nagoda, Bandaragama, Agalawatta, Matugama, Walallavita and Kalutara in Kalutara district have also been affected by raging floods. A large number of houses in the low-lying areas of Kalutara and Wadduwa areas were inundated with flood water and rendered homeless when the torrential rains opened up night on Thursday. Almost all the low-lying areas of roads of Wadduwa were impassable for traffic. Kalutara was one of the worst districts affected by the inundation. It was also reported that a fishing boat had capsized in deep sea due to strong gale force winds and the body of one fisherman had been washed ashore on Saturday and the other on Sunday. Politicians, provincial Authorities are taking necessary actions to provide the victims with dry rations and temporary shelter. In addition to this, Kolonnawa and Dehiwala in Colombo District and Ja-Ela in Gamapaha District are also reported to have been hit by the floods but the figures of the number affected were not available. According to the Director Social Services Mrs. S.J. Pathirana no damage caused by the flood had been reported from the Ratnapura District so far. According to the Social Services Director, Rs. 10,000 is being paid for a completely damaged house as compensation while compensation is paid for other damages as well according to the estimations made by the Social Services Officers of the respective areas. "We have instructed the officials to provide the flood victims with prepared food till the situation returns to normal. In addition, the District and Divisional Secretaries will take measures to provide necessary relief for the victims in accordance with a circular issued to them by the Ministry beforehand," she added. Prohibited
sex Criminal Investigations Department (CID) sleuths swooped down on a cinema in a Colombo suburb exhibiting a film with sex scenes and took into custody the manager. The producer of the film and two others connected to its production were also arrested. It is alleged that certain sex scenes had been introduced to this film after it had gone through the Censor Board and had been restricted to "Adults Only". The CID had received information that this film with the particular sex scenes was also being exhibited in a cinema elsewhere. The film had been taken placed in the custody of National Film Corporation, CID sources said. Death of scholar monk Agga Maha Panditha Rajakeeya Panditha, Most Ven. Balangoda Ananda Maithriya Maha Nayaka Thera died last Saturday night. At the time of his death the Most Ven. Thera was 102 years old. The Most Ven. Thera was admitted to Sri Jayawardenapura hospital a few days back as his health had deteriorated. It was last Saturday night amidst the chanting of pirith by Bhikkus led by Ven. Balangoda Ananda Mangala Thera, a pupil of Most Ven. Ananda Maithriya Thera, that he breathed his last. Born on August 26, 1896 the Most Ven. Thera had his primary education at Balangoda Kumara Vidyalaya. On March 02, 1911 he was ordained as a Buddhist monk at the feet of Ven. Dehihena Sheelananda Nayake Thera of Sri Nandaramaya, Udumulla, Balangoda. The Most Ven. Thera received his upasampadha on July 14, 1916 at Udakkujahena, Olugosthota in Balangoda. In the year 1919 he entered Ananda College, Colombo to study the English language and in the year 1922 was appointed a teacher of the same school. Most Ven. Ananda Maithriya Thera was in the forefront in establishing Nalanda Vidyalaya in Colombo in 1923. Incidentally it was he who named the college as "Nalanda". In 1959 on the establishment of the historic Vidyodhaya Pirivena he was appointed a professor at the pirivena in the faculty of Mahayana Buddhism. He was later appointed as the Vice Chancellor after granting of University status to Vidyodhaya University. Well versed with several languages the Most. Ven. Thera had authored more than 80 books on Buddhism and written articles on Buddhism to newspapers and magazines were innumerable. It was he who led the Buddhist monks to Burma to hold the "Shatmaha Buddha Dharma Sangayana". He was therefore venerable in the Burmese government as "Agga Maha Panditha". He was the first President of Amarapura Maha Sangha Sabha. In 1998 the government of Thailand honoured the Most Ven. Thera with the title 'Choolankara Dharma Shasthrodhakami' degree. This eminent prelate was admitted to Sri Jayawardenapura hospital on June 25 and was warded there at the time of his demise. His remains were taken to Jayaratne Florists in Colombo and later removed to Maharagama Dharmayathanaya yesterday and kept there from 2.30 p.m. for general public to pay their last respects. The remains will be taken today in a motorcade to Ananda Maithriya Buddhist Centre in Ratnapura and will be kept for public reverence. On July 21, the remains will be taken to Nandaramaya, Udumulla, Balangoda, the temple where the Most Ven. Thera lived and will be kept there for public reverence until July 23. The cremation will take place on July 23 at 3.00 p.m. CWC insists on inclusion in
committee inquiring into detention of terrorist suspects Amidst intensified counter-insurgency operations in the hill country, Ceylon Workers Congress[CWC] has urged the government to include one of their representative in the eight member Presidential Committee appointed to inquire into cases illegal arrest and detention of terrorist suspects."We welcome the appointment of this particular committee headed by minister Lakshman Jayakody," Colombo District MP P.P.Devaraj said adding that there was a need to include a CWC MP representing the hill country. Many people have been detained he said.Apart from the people from the north and east, those from Nuwara Eliya and Badulla districts are routinely detained he claimed. The Presidential Committee include messrs Lakshman Kadirgamar,G.L.Peiris,Batty Weerakoon, S.B.Dissanayake and SLMC National List MP M.M.Zuhair, TULF Trincomalee District MP R.Sampanthan and EPDP leader Douglas Devananda. Devananda has been taken abroad for specialised medical treatment. The committee appointed on July 10 was scheduled to meet today at Lakshman Jayakody's ministry. A government official said that people can make complaints to a special desk by dialing telephone number 342994."We receive approximately half a dozen complaints daily," he said. Police and security forces stepped up operations in upcountry areas, Colombo and several other areas after a wave bomb attacks on communication and Ceylon Electricity Board[CEB] facilities resulting in heavy losses.Terrorists had also targetted two tea factories in the hill country. Both police and military officials insist that regular cordon and search operations, road blocks and round ups have become necessary in view of the threat posed by the LTTE."Operations have been stepped up further in view of the forthcoming SAARC summit ," a senior police official said. However Tamil groups, NGOs and some other groups continue to protest against what they call "continuing harassment of Tamils as a result of security forces and police operations." Dr.Sri Iyappathasan Sambasiva Sivachcharyar yesterday said that a delegation from International Hindu Religious Guru Peedam will meet President Kumaratunga next Thursday to request the government to ensure safety, security and dignity of Hindu priests and their assistants in Colombo. There are approximately 175 Hindu priests and about 100 assistants. Except for a half a dozen priests from India almost all the other including Dr. Sivachcharyar were from the North and East districts. He said they have been routinely harassed by security authorities."We want an end to this," he said insisting that all Tamils are not engaged in LTTE activity. He said that there were approximately 50 kovils in Colombo.The priest and his family members were arrested in February this year.They were detained as "terrorists." There have been a series of other incidents in Wellawatte, Modera, Slave Island, Kochchikade and Maradana areas in the past couple of months he said. "We first made representations to Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle," Dr Sivachcharyar said adding that it was the minister who helped them to have a meeting with the President. Problems faced by Sinhala people
and Buddha Sasana dealt in Sinhala Commission report Former Justice S. W. Walpita, Chairman Sinhala Commission told Saturday’s ceremony to present the first copy of the Commission’s report that the full report of the Commission consisting of the findings and the observations of the Commission would be released some time later as it needed time due to the volume of work involved with regard to going through all submissions both verbal and written. Mr. Walpita said that the copies of the report presented to the Mahanayake Theras and the Sacred Tooth Relic on Saturday was the first part which dealt with the problems of the Sinhala people and the Buddha Sasana since colonial times. This section dealt with the political, economic, cultural, and social problems during that period, he said. There is much interest in the Sinhala Community in the report of the Commission. This interest is encouraging, he observed. We need unity and awareness of the present situation of the race and the religion and must act with sense for the interest of future generations, he said. Secretary, NJC, Dr. Piyasena Dissanayake and Secretary of the Kandy Branch of the NJC Sudath Gunasekera proposed the vote of thanks and the welcome speech, respectively. Panic in Nittambuwa town as
two bombs explode There was panic in Nittambuwa town early yesterday following the explosive of two bombs. Police investigations had revealed that the first bomb had exploded in a room of a sub station of a private cellular company in Nittambuwa town. When a police team led by Nittambuwa HQI Indika Hapugoda visited the scene the other bomb had gone off. The HQI was slightly injured in the blast and admitted to the Colombo Eye Hospital. No suspects have so far been arrested in this connection. Police have not ruled out the possibility of a LTTE hand behind the bomb attacks. A govt that postpones polls must not be in
office Postpoing an election under the provisions of a constitution or law or giving any excuse is a clear indication of a declining government. It is ridiculous for a government to remain in office when it fails to hold elections at the schedule time said Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (MEP) Leader Dinesh Gunawardena when he spoke to party candidates and team leaders at the Central Provincial Council Elections campaign. The meeting was held at Vaishaka Dana Sangraha Samithiya Hall, Kandy. He said that the PA government has put off the provincial councils elections saying that the government was unable to move the police from the north to provide security to the south. Police security is essential during elections where political violence is present. If politicos assure violence free elections them the police is not required. If the political party leaders take a firm decision that they will sack the thugs and law-breakers from their parties, violence during elections could be done away with. It is those politicians who do not have that courage who require 30,000 police personnel to hold elections. He also said that prior to the date of nominations telecommunication antennas and power transformers throughout the country had exploded. There are no reports of such blasts now. People have forgotten the Airlanka scandal. These and many other sensational items have come to a halt on the eve of the postponement of the provincial councils elections. It is absurd to have discipline in a country by a government whose administration was ridiculed. Sri Lanka needed a national policy with regard its development. Messrs Sudath Gunasekera, Upali Wimalaweera, Attorney Nissanka Ranatunge, and S. P. Senaratne were also present. Refugees from Akkaraipattu not paid dry ration allowance AMPARA: About 2000 refugees from several villages around Akkaraipattu South have been starving for the last two months as the allowances for dry-rations have not been paid to them. The refugees now held in camps at Kalliyantivu and Vinayagapuram said that their grama niladharis had assured them two months ago that their allowances for dry rations would be paid when allocations are received from the Ministry of Rehabilitation. The refugees from Savaru, Sagamam, Aligam-Bay, Kanchurankudah, Kanjikudy-Aru and Tandiyadi number 640 families were in receipt of allowance calculated on the basis of the number of mouths in the household. A family of three received Rs. 840 per month while a family of six received Rs. 1260. The refugees said that they handed over the cheques collected from the grama niladhari and bought their food from the Akkaraipattu South Multi Purpose Co-operative Society. But from May they had not received their allowances and a community of farming families removed from their lands by the Government were being starved to death. There are no opportunities of employment and they cannot find employment from a refugee camp. We suffered from half-stomachs and are now left to starve with empty stomachs said one of the refugees. The refugees said that if they were not given their allowances, they would all stage a Satyagraha opposite the Office of the Divisional Secretary, Thirukovil. "The Island" learns that the daily paid workers employed by the Provincial Ministry of Irrigation, NEP have not been paid the salaries of a maintainance workers in the Department for the the past two months. About 60 workers are said to have not been paid their salaries for two months on an excuse that money allocations have not been received. Gang attacks checkpoint A homeguard was killed and another wounded in a bomb attack by an unidentified gang in the security checkpoint at Maha Messalawa on Horowpatana, Kahatagasdigiliya road in Anuradhapura district last Saturday. The dead homeguard had been identified as K. B. Surasena of Pambarellawa, Kahatagasdigiliya. The injured man, Samaraweera has been admitted to Kahatagasdigiliya hospital. The two homeguards had been resting in the security hut while the five police constables at the security checkpoint were on duty when the bomb had been hurled at the security checkpoint. Kahatagasdigiliya police are carrying out further investigations. Rejection of nomination
list challenged in Court of Appeal The Secretary of the New Left Front, Linus Jayathilake has challenged in the Court of Appeal the rejection of the nomination list submitted by his party, with a view to contest the forthcoming provincial council polls, at the Matale district. Among the respondents to the complaint are P. Dias Amerasinghe, Returning Officer, Matale District, A. Senanayake, Assistant Commissioner of Elections, Matale District and Dayananda Dissanayake, Commissioner of Elections. The petition has requested the Court of Appeal, to issue a mandate, in the nature of a writ of certiorari, quashing the order of the Returning Officer, rejecting the said nomination papers and further to compel the Returning Officer, to accept the said nomination papers, tendered on behalf of the New Left Front, on 3.7.98. The petition has also requested the Court to direct the O.I.C. of the Matale Police station, to produce or cause to be produced, the statement made by H. B. Wijekoon and P. H. Premasiri on 3.7.98, in respect of the incidents, that took place when handing over the nomination papers of the New Left Front on 3.7.98, and also the statement made by M. G. Jayatillake on 4.7.98. T. P. Gunawardena Personnel Director of Unilevers (Ceylon) Ltd., passed away suddenly at the age of 58 years. Prior to his assumption of duties at Unilevers Mr. Gunawardena held several important positions in the public sector some of which were post of Chief Accountant in the then Ceylon Transport Board and as General Manager of the Sri Lanka State Plantation Corporation and the Co-ordinating Secretary of the Ministry of State Plantations. Throughout the history of the C.T.B. it was a burden on the state but largely due to the untiring efforts of the late Mr. Gunawardena this ailing giant was converted into a viable enterprise. Consequently during two consecutive years, the C.T.B. was run at a profit (1973/74) which incidentally proves that efficient and dedicated men at the helm of affairs and this was achieved with the guidance and direction of the late Leslie Goonawardena, then Minister of Transport and the present Deputy Speaker Anil Moonesinghe who was the then Chairman of the C.T.B. Soon after graduation from the University of Peradeniya, he took to accountancy and excelled in this field as a Chartered and a Chartered Management Accountant. When he was serving as the General Manager of the State Plantation Corporation, his brilliance in management was amply demonstrated, when it yielded a massive surplus in its operational activities. As a result of his acumen several public/private sector organisation sought his services, which culminated in Mr. Guna-wardena serving as Finance and Personal Director of the worldwide organisation Unilevers Ltd. Additionally Mr. Gunawardena served as director to several important government corporations ie. Sri Lanka Telecom Ltd., Ceylon Petroleum Corporation, Central Transport Board, Shell Gas (Lanka) Ltd., Open University and Medical Council etc. His demise creates a massive void which cannot be filled immediately. Mr. Gunawardena’s wife Mrs. Asoki Gunawardena is serving as the additional secretary to the Ministry of Livestock Development Estate Infrastructure. Mr. Gunawardena leaves behind, one son who is pursuing higher studies in the United States. Mr. Gunawardena’s funeral takes place today (Monday 20th) at 5.00 at the General Cemetery Kanatta, Borella. Infant's body near cattle shed BELIATTA: Ambalantota police had discovered the body of a day old infant on June 24 near a cattle shed at 4th canal at Beragama. The body had been attacked by crows and other creatures. Police have been successful in apprehending the infant's mother. BELIATTA: Three unidentified gunmen had entered a house at "Adi Seeya Paara" in Ranna at around 10.00 p.m. on June 24 and shot dead a father of three children K. H. Dharmasena. Tangalla ASP II H. R. D. Senanayake who visited the scene of the crime has directed OIC Hungama IP Nihal Mahinda to conduct further inquiries. |
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