Fire destroys 35 acres of forest land
Around 35 acres of forest was destroyed on Saturday in a fire that erupted in the protected areas of the Castlereagh reservoir and Devon Falls. Police suspect that the fire has been deliberately caused
Daily News (Sri Lanka)
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Coconut planting suspended in Matara to curb diseases
The Coconut Cultivation Board (CCB) has decided to suspend the planting of coconut in the Matara district temporarily to curb the spread of leaf-rot disease. Transport of coconut saplings from Matara to other districts has banned and instructions were already issued to police to take action against those violate the regulation, the Board said. The Board says over 150,000 coconut palms in Matara district were attacked by the blight and instructions were given to the cultivators in a special gazette notification to remove the coconut trees affected by the disease, without permission.
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Rs. 50 billion for road development
The Government has decided to channel all ADB funds for the development of roads that come under the purview of Provincial councils, said Media Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardene. He said the Government has utilised Rs. 24,803 million out of Rs. 50,450 million allocated for road development activities for 2008. There are complaints that roads coming under provincial councils have not seen development for number of years.
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Rs. 9 billion loss for Water Board - Minister
The National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWS&DB) undergoes a loss of nearly Rs. 9 billion in providing drinking water, Water Supply Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said. The Minister was addressing a meeting after vesting with people several water supply schemes at Rotawala in Ambalantota. He said even undergoing a loss, it was the duty of the NWS&DB to supply drinking water to the people.
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26 villages in Hambantota to get facelift
Twenty six villages in the Hambantota district will be developed under the Jathika Saviya, Gama Neguma programme, Southern Development Authority (SDA) District Director Hambantota, Kapila Masakorala said. He was addressing a meting that followed the inauguration of the construction work of housing schemes for lower income group families at Palathuduwa and Thalunna villages in Tangalle DS area. He said those living in temporary houses will be awarded Rs. 100,000 each to build houses. In the meantime, unemployed youth will be awarded tool kits and apparatus to begin self employment.
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Electricity supply for 58 villages
A programme to provide electricity to 58 villages in 20 divisional secretariat areas in Galle, Matara and Hambantota districts has been launched by the Southern Provincial Ministry of Power and Energy. Arrangements have already been made to install transformers in 14 villages to extend the power supply. Funds amounting Rs. 29.5 million have been reserved to implement rural electrification schemes in the Galle district, Rs. 24 million for the Matara district and Rs. 18 million for the Hambantota district under the programme, Ceylon Electricity Board sources said.
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Lanka has better health facilities than some developed countries - WHO
The Health service in Sri Lanka is considerably better than in Russia despite considerably higher incomes in Russia than Sri Lanka, said Sir Michael Marmott, Professor Epidemiology and Public Health who chaired the World Health Organization's Commission on the Social Determinants of Health. He was speaking at the launch of the new report on health situation in all countries. The report was prepared by the World Health Organisation. Sir Marmott said Sri Lanka was among the countries which had better health facilities than some countries with higher incomes.
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Nearly 120 jumbo deaths every year
In Sri Lanka nearly 120 elephants are killed by humans and in return about 65 people die after being attacked by elephants every year. The number of cases of elephants being killed or run over by trains could be reduced if the train staff take precautions by giving the elephants enough warning in advance when they spot the elephants close to the rail tracks, Managing Trustee of the Bio Diversity and Elephant Conservation Trust and leading expert on Asian elephants and former planter Jayantha Jayawardena said.
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Rs. 10,400 million for three major irrigation projects
An estimated sum of Rs. 10,400 million has been allocated by the Government for three major irrigation projects for Wayamba, Southern and Eastern Provinces which are at present under way. It is expected to successfully complete these major irrigational projects at the end of 2010. Under this massive irrigational development projects the Deduru-Oya scheme for Wayamba, the Rambaken-Oya scheme for the East and the Menik-Ganga scheme for south will be irrigated.
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Task Force directed to promote carbonic fertiliser use
President Mahinda Rajapaksa has directed to launch a programme to encourage the use of carbonic fertiliser in place of the chemical and ensure that 1/3 of the fertiliser subsidy consists of carbonic fertilizer at a following a discussion with the Presidential Task Force manning the Api Wawamu, Rata Nagamu food drive campaign.
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Rural uplift under Gama Neguma
Gama Neguma is a most valuable development programme that helps to establish a well developed village providing more facilities to people in rural areas. Therefore every official must give priority for the success of this programme said Wasantha Gunaratne, Divisional Secretary, Pitabeddara. He was speaking at the meeting of Divisional Agriculture Committee, Pitabeddara held at the DS auditorium.