Colombo Page (Sri Lanka)
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Sri Lanka President seeks alternative energy sources
Sri Lankan Cabinet today approved a proposal submitted by President Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Minister of Finance and Planning requesting suggestions for alternative measures for the burning fuel crisis. The President has sought cabinet approval to prepare a complete report of the alternative measures that should be adopted for fuel management. Rajapaksa has requested all his ministers to offer suggestions that could be practically implemented within Sri Lanka's economy to reduce the fuel consumption in the country and seek new energy sources.
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15% of Sri Lankan population is extremely poor, a government study says
Following a recent survey Sri Lanka's Department of Census and Statistics said that 15% of the country's total population lives under extreme poverty conditions. The Department has also identified 19 most poor Grama Sewa Wasams (Village Officer Divisions) in Sri Lanka during the study that was conducted to categorize the Grama Sewa Wasams against the poverty line.
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Sri Lanka Tourism scores from working towards being carbon clean
At the recently concluded 'PATA CEO Challenge 2008 on Confronting Climate Change', Sri Lanka Tourism's Earth Lung initiative to work towards being carbon clean within a ten year framework was lauded as an industry first by travel and tourism industry leaders. New Zealand and Sri Lanka were the only destinations featured among the eleven panelists of the rapid-fire session on boardroom challenges.
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Sri Lanka Tourism scores from working towards being carbon clean
At the recently concluded 'PATA CEO Challenge 2008 on Confronting Climate Change', Sri Lanka Tourism's Earth Lung initiative to work towards being carbon clean within a ten year framework was lauded as an industry first by travel and tourism industry leaders. New Zealand and Sri Lanka were the only destinations featured among the eleven panelists of the rapid-fire session on boardroom challenges.
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Sri Lanka faces shortage of vegetables
Sri Lanka's traders say that the supply of vegetables has dropped by 60% over the last couple weeks. The reason behind this shortage is the torrential rains that have ruined the vegetable plantations in Nuwara Eliya, Dambulla, Matale and Anuradhapura. Also, a large number of farmers shifting from vegetables to potatoes in Nuwara Eliya has caused a drop in vegetable production. Traders say that the next season's harvest will arrive next month. Until such time, the increasing prices of vegetables cannot be controlled, they added.
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WFP to cut down food to Sri Lanka, say reports
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has announced that it is forced to cut down its rations to about one million Sri Lankans who are currently being fed in the North and East, as prices of essential grain are hitting record levels around the world. WFP Country Director Mohamed Saleheen told local media that it would "suspend their food-for-work programme to about 175,000 people in the war-affected regions from May 1 and reduce rations of others from 1,900 kilocalories to 1,665 kilocalories per day per person.'
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India will partner with Sri Lanka to build thermal power plant in Sampur
The Indian and Sri Lankan governments have come to a final agreement on the construction of a 500 MW coal-based power plant at Sampur in the Trincomalee district. With an investment of 500 million US dollars, the project will be implemented by a joint venture company of which India's National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) and Sri Lanka's Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) hold equal stakes with a debt/equity ratio of 70:30.
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Dengue cases rise
One hundred and forty five dengue cases have been reported from Colombo this year, the Chief Medical Officer of Health, Colombo, Dr. Pradeep Kariyawasam said.
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Sri Lanka not to impose VAT on water
National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) of Sri Lanka has decided not to enforce the pre decided 15 per cent value added tax (VAT) charges on consumer bills, from this month onwards. NWSDB was initially planning to pass on this 15 per cent VAT charges to consumers, having being directed by the Department of Inland Revenue. However, with an urgent directive given by the Ministry of Water Supply and Drainage, the plans of doing so has been stopped with immediate effect, which is considered as a relief for the consumers.
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China to fund five projects in Sri Lanka, says Minister
Minister of Export Development and International Trade of Sri Lanka, Prof GL Peiris today revealed that the Chinese government has confirmed its earlier agreement to fund five projects in the country. Speaking at a media briefing in Colombo, the Minister told that the Chinese government has given its confirmation to provide 455 million US dollars for the construction of the Norochcholai Coal Power Plant during the recent official visit of President Mahinda Rajapaksa to China.