The National Transport Commission (NTC) has introduced a new hotline number 071-2595555 for directing videos of inter-provincial bus employees engaging in illegal activities, including traffic violations while operating the buses.
Accordingly, the Director-General of the National Transport Commission, Dr. Thilan Miranda has requested the public to send videos of various illegal activities carried out by employees during the bus service to the above telephone numbers through WhatsApp, Viber, or Emo.
He stated that the videos would be used as evidence in investigations into those relevant illegal activities.
Dr. Thilan Miranda further stated that complaints can continue to be made to the National Transport Commission hotline number 1955 and that this new number has been introduced to further provide security to the public.
The General Manager of the Railways Dhammika Jayasundara says that there are about 7000 vacancies in the Railway Department.
Although the approved staff is 21,000, the Railway Department currently employs only 13,000 employees, he said.
Due to this, there is a problem in running the train service without any hindrance, he said.
He said that discussions were held yesterday (1) with the transport authorities to fill the vacancies and obtain the approved staff.
The General Manager of the Railways further said that if the vacancies are filled within a short period of time, it will be possible to restore the train service and maintain an efficient train service.
Police have taken into custody a car belonging to the Coconut Development Board which was used by the thugs who had stormed the student dormitory of the Ragama Medical Faculty and assaulted the medical students.
A driver of the Coconut Development Board has also been arrested along with the vehicle, said SSP Rohan Dias in charge of the Kelaniya Division.
The attack had taken place this morning, injuring three fourth year students of the Medical Faculty and a third year student who had been part of the attack team, police said.
The injured student is being treated at the Negombo Hospital and other medical students at the Ragama Hospital, SSP Rohan Dias said.
Rohan Dias also said that the beginning of this conflict seems to be a rag.
The medical student, who brought in an outsider group, was allegedly assaulted by a group of people yesterday and he stated that the attack was carried out in response to that, police said.
Police investigations have revealed that the medical student who had brought the outsiders was a school friend of the son of a state minister and that a group including the driver of the Coconut Development Board had been brought in to carry out the attack for the friendship.
It has also been revealed that the medical student is running a business with the son of the relevant state minister.
Police say that it does not appear that the Minister of State had any involvement or knowledge in the attack. According to the police, the parents of the medical student who brought the outside team were also doctors.
Police believe four outsiders involved in the attack are to be arrested and will be handed over to police today.
The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) says they will not cut off electricity to any area today (02) if they receive sufficient fuel and diesel within today as it is expected to receive.
The Public Utilities Commission is in discussions with the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation to obtain fuel for the Ceylon Electricity Board.
Chairman of the Public Utilities Commission Janaka Ratnayake stated that the Ceylon Electricity Board has not yet been given permission to carry out any power cuts.
It was against such a backdrop that power outages were reported in many areas twice yesterday without prior notice.
It is reported that several students have been injured in a clash between a group of students of the Ragama Medical Faculty and another group, following an attack on the hostel of the Ragama Medical Faculty.
One person has been arrested in connection with the incident.
The clash took place at around 2 this morning, police said.
The injured students are currently receiving treatment at the Ragama Hospital.
The students have taken into custody a car belonging to the attackers and handed it over to the police.
The students told the media that they did not know the reason for the attack.
Ragama Police are conducting further investigations.
Udaya Gammanpila, Minister of Energy has assured that the fuel required for power generation for a week will continually be provided to the CEB.
It is said that the Minister has informed the Public Utilities Commission about this.
It is reported that a capacity of 150 megawatts has been added to the national grid from the generator which was restored after the Norochcholai power plant malfunctioned.
It is said that Norochcholai, Sapugaskanda Kelanitissa, and as well as a power plant in Colombo are in a state of inactivity due to the fuel crisis.
Due to this the CEB also imposed power cuts in many parts of the country yesterday (01) without informing the public.
Twice yesterday, power outages were reported in many parts of the island.
The Inter Company Employees Union has written to President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa requesting him to immediately intervene to transfer the Rs. 5,000 allowance paid to state-sector employees to the private sector.
The letter sent to the President by the Inter Company Employees Union states, working people should also receive all the relief provided when the cost of living rises in the country, just as state-sector employees were given an allowance of Rs. 5000, it is the responsibility of the government to provide the same amount to the private sector as well.
About 60 percent of private-sector employees who directly contribute to about 80 percent of the country’s manufacturing process and who make up 80 percent of the workforce, earn less than 25,000 rupees. So the Rs. 5,000 allowance could alleviate the unrest among private-sector employees the relevant article further states.
Sarvodaya Development Finance (SDF), in its first earnings release since its IPO, announced excellent financial performance for the first 9 months of FY 2021/22, ended 31st December 2021. Compared against the same period in the year prior, the Company recorded total profit growth of 48% or LKR 118 million, while total income grew 5% to LKR 1.3 billion. Total assets at the end of the period under review stood at LKR 10.5 billion, resulting in asset growth increasing by 17%, while the portfolio grew by 13%, resulting in a return on asset (ROA) of 2%. These figures have been achieved by SDF at a time when the industry overall has been recording negative portfolio growth due to the challenges created by the global pandemic.
These results, along with the interest the Company’s IPO received, demonstrate the stability, strength, and growth opportunities presented by SDF to investors. SDF’s IPO was heavily oversubscribed with 17% of applicants being new investors entering the market for the first time simply to subscribe to the Company’s IPO. This further strengthens the bond and trust between SDF and its stakeholders. Overall, SDF’s IPO turned out to be the first impact investing opportunity in the CSE.
Discussing the financial performance figures, Mr. Channa de Silva, Chairman of SDF said, “Over our journey spanning 3 decades, we have helped Sri Lanka’s farmers and rural communities carry on the vital business of agriculture and related businesses, which help boost Sri Lanka’s food security. Subsequent to our IPO, we have been working hard to expand our loan portfolio, thus helping many rural communities and uplifting and empowering countless lives. We take this opportunity to renew our commitment to being a catalyst in creating an economically progressive society, living in dignity while delivering exceptional value to our investors. We are also pleased to inform our investors that we have developed and are implementing a comprehensive and aggressive strategy to double our asset base to 20 billion rupees by 2023.”
SDF will venture out to think innovatively in every aspect & the business leverage technology at every juncture, to serve customers better and continuously create value for investors.
Nine new envoys comprising seven Ambassadors and two High Commissioners presented credentials to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the President’s House this afternoon, a statement from his office said.
The new Ambassadors and High Commissioners have been appointed by Denmark, Estonia, Pakistan, Gambia, Kazakhstan, the Philippines, Austria, Iceland, and Israel.
The Pakistani High Commissioner is based in Sri Lanka, while the Philippine Ambassador is based in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and the other Envoys are based in New Delhi, India. They are,
Ambassador of Denmark – Mr. Freddy Svane
Ambassador of Estonia – Ms. Katrin Kivi
High Commissioner of Pakistan – Major General (Retired) Umar Farooq Burki 4. Gambian High Commissioner – Mr. Mustapha Jawara
Ambassador of Kazakhstan – Mr. Nurlan Zhalgasbayev
Ambassador of the Philippines – Mr. Alan Deniega
Ambassador of Austria – Ms. Katharina Wieser
Ambassador of Iceland – Mr. Gudni Bragason and
Ambassador of Israel – Mr. Naor Gilon
Foreign Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris, Secretary to the President Gamini Senarath, Foreign Secretary Admiral Prof. Jayanath Colombage and Chief of Protocol Senarath Dissanayake were also present at the credentials presentation.
The Ceylon Electricity Board says that there will be power cuts for about an hour between 6.30 pm and 9.30 pm today (01).
Today, the third generator of the Lakvijaya Power Plant has lost 270 megawatts of power to the national grid due to a malfunction and a power outage will be expected to meet the high demand for electricity.
However, the CEB today requested the Public Utilities Commission to allow a power cut, but it was not granted.
The CEB had informed the Utilities Commission that the two-hour period would be divided into four parts, day and night.
The Public Utilities Commission emphasized that there was no need for a power cut as a temporary solution.
Against this backdrop, the Ceylon Electricity Board has suggested to the Public Utilities Commission that a power cut is imperative.
Power outages were reported in many parts of the island today.
Power outages lasted for about an hour in some areas and several hours in other areas.
The situation came to a head even after officials assured the public that there would be no power cuts today.
Due to a malfunction again, the third generator at the Norochcholai Coal Power Plant was stopped and lost 270 megawatts of electricity to the national grid today.
The third generator was reactivated yesterday after repairing a technical fault in December.
The attention of the Foreign Ministry has been drawn to a news item appearing on a news website titled “We purchased weapons from North Korea using Black Market Dollars’ – Minister Basil R” dated 31 January 2022.
The Foreign Ministry wishes to state that Foreign Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris has spoken in this regard with his Cabinet colleague, Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa who has categorically denied the comments attributed to him in the said news item.
The Foreign Ministry would appreciate it if this response is given the same prominence as the said news item.
The coastline from Mount Lavinia to Galle Face has been unsafe in recent weeks due to several crocodiles roaming the area.
Since a diver died In Dehiwala after being attacked by a crocodile, crocodiles on the beach pose a serious threat to people’s lives. Those crocodiles are finally seen in Port City. As a result, traps have been set to catch crocodiles, but so far no crocodiles have been caught in those traps.
Meanwhile, the crocodile fear is running towards Pamunugama. That is because a huge crocodile has been roaming around the Matugama beach for the past few days.
Pamunugama beach is a beach where hundreds of thousands of people come to bathe as well as people who are engaged in fishing. Therefore, the impact of this crocodile on the fishing community was not insignificant. Wildlife officials were notified but did not respond.
Due to this situation, the fishermen in the area were very vigilant about this crocodile and caught the crocodile last night. After informing the wildlife officers about the 10 feet long crocodile, the wildlife officials came and took the crocodile away this morning.
Sunny Bay, a 15,000 metric tonne tanker of Marine gasoil (MGO), recently arrived at the Hambantota International Port (HIP). This is the first time a ship brought MGO for storage at the port fuel storage terminal in Hambantota.
HIP, along with its global partner Sinopec, began operations last year to stockpile low-sulfur oil (VLSFO). The Port of Hambantota is now ready to supply MGO and Marine Diesel Oil (MDO), having completely refurbished its oil jetty along with the fuel storage terminal and obtained the FSS certification (Fitness for Service) certification from the world-renowned Lloyds Register Company. With the launch of this MGO service, the Hambantota International Port will be positioned as one of the leading fuel suppliers in the region, meeting all the fuel requirements of its customers.
The Port of Hambantota has also set up a state-of-the-art Petroleum Testing Laboratory unique to Sri Lanka, using international standards as a benchmark. The laboratory, in partnership with Intertech Lanka (Pvt) Ltd., a leading global testing service provider, will provide certification and testing of marine fuel, LPG gas, LNG gas and other petrochemical products. The laboratory located within the port premises is internationally rated capable of testing the IMO 2020 or Global Sulfur Regulation.
Johnson Liu, CEO, Hambantota International Ports Group, said: “The Lloyds Register’s fuel storage terminal, as well as state-of-the-art laboratory facilities, are of great value to HIP clients. The Port of Hambantota, located in a strategic location in the Indian Ocean, where 50% of the world’s marine fuels are traded, is poised to become a global maritime hub for all services such as fuel supply, LPG and future LNG operations. ”
The laboratory testing facility enables HIP clients to meet international quality standards, such as marine fuels, marine diesel and maritime gasoils, efficiently and easily at the fuel terminal premises. The dedicated professional team of the port operates the oil tank network, ancillary pipelines, oil anchor jetties and control systems with utmost safety and all the port’s energy services are carried out in accordance with international standards. The port has set up all the ancillary services such as an active fire extinguishing system and wastewater treatment facilities.
Located close to the busiest sea lane, the Hambantota International Port works in partnership with Sinopec, a global company known for supplying high-quality fuel oil in line with International Maritime Organization (IMO) 2020 standards. This will also benefit the Sri Lankan companies that supply fuel to vessels and make the local energy market more competitive. The port hopes to launch soon to meet the requirements of MGO, the second-highest demand in the maritime industry. The MGO provided by the port is of the highest standard complying with the ISO 8271 standard and can also be supplied to foreign destinations such as the Maldives.
The Sinopec Group, the port’s wholesale fuel supplier, was ranked No. 2 on the Fortune Global 500 list by 2020 and is a global leader in the fields of oil exploration, production, refining, marketing and distribution. The partnership between SINOPEC International Petroleum Services Corporation (SINOPEC International Petroleum Services Corporation) and the Hambantota International Ports Group (HIPG) not only benefits both parties and their international clients but also enhances quality, knowledge and expertise in Sri Lanka with quality, expertise and expertise. Will be raised.
‘Sunny Bay’ unloading maritime gasoil (MGO) from Hambantota International Port.
Colombo Chief Magistrate Damith Thotawatte today acquitted Basil Rajapaksa, the Minister of Finance and Kithsiri Ranawaka, the former Director-General of the Divineguma Development Department from the lith case.
That is without calling the evidence of that defendant.
Announcing the verdict, Judge Damith Thotawatte stated that the evidence presented by the prosecution was not to prove the allegations but to dismiss them.
The case was filed by the Attorney General regarding the printing and distribution of 50 lakhs of ‘Awrudu Lith’ bearing the image of the previous Presidential candidate Mahinda Rajapaksa at a cost of Rs. 24 million belonging to the Divi Neguma Development Department during the 2015 Presidential Election.
The Cabinet yesterday approved the procurement of 40,000 metric tonnes of diesel and 40,000 metric tonnes of petrol from the Indian Oil Company.
The statement issued by the Cabinet Secretariat in this regard is as follows.
The Ministry of Energy is in talks with the Indian Oil Company to procure 40,000 metric tons of diesel and 40,000 metric tons of petrol. Accordingly, the Indian Oil Company has agreed to supply a shipment of 40,000 metric tons of diesel. Accordingly, the proposal made by Hon. Minister of Energy, to proceed with the relevant activities, was approved by the Cabinet.
The postmortem examination of the student who died after falling from the seventh floor of an apartment complex in Bambalapitiya has revealed that the student was found to be ingested with a drug called ice.
It has also been confirmed that this student is infected with AIDS.
Preliminary investigations have revealed that the student was addicted to ice and narcotics.
Police say the student was seen walking upstairs while checking the security camera system in the apartment building. A senior police official said the student appeared to have jumped to the ground as he noticed no other person was following him or staying upstairs.
The father of this student is a businessman and the mother is a housewife. This student is the only child in the family. He was educated at an international school. Police say that further investigations are being carried out regarding this child and his other friends.
Commissioner General of Examinations L. M. D. Dharmasena said the promotional activities for the GCE Advanced Level Examination will be banned after midnight today (1),
Accordingly, tuition classes, seminars, religious programs, or any other promotional activities related to the GCE Advanced Level examination are prohibited, he said.
The Commissioner General of Examinations said that those who commit such acts will be punished under the Examinations Act.
The GCE Advanced Level Examination will be held from February 7 to March 5. Meanwhile, the Commissioner-General of Examinations stated that A / L examination centers will be set up in 29 hospitals. Covid infected students can sit for the examination from the examination centers located in those hospitals.
The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL), the electricity sector regulator, stated that the demand for electricity can be managed during the month of February starting tomorrow. Accordingly, the proposal made by the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) for a power interruption will not be allowed until the 4th of February 2022. The CEB had proposed that there is a need for power interruption from the 25th of January to the 4th of February.
Commenting on the above Mr. Janaka Ratnayake, Chairman of the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka said, “We reviewed the power plants and the fuel stocks that are required for them, on a daily basis. Based on the results of those reviews we decide that there is no necessity for power interruption. It is estimated around 31 billion rupees of loss may have occurred in the entire economy if the proposed power interruption was approved. We were able to save 31 billion rupees by preventing a power interruption. It has been confirmed that a continuous supply of electricity can be provided without any power interruption even at the beginning of February. Especially the A/L examinations are scheduled to take place in the next month. An uninterrupted power supply should be provided in order to have the examination successfully. Unit 3 of the Norochcholai Coal Power Plant, which was undergoing renovations, has commenced generation of power supply. Also, the 130 MW power plant at Sojitz, which was recently disconnected from the national grid for maintenance purposes, will resume generation from the 02nd of February. As a result, it has been confirmed that the power supply can be maintained uninterrupted.”
Mr. Ratnayake also stated that the Sapugaskanda Oil Refinery has received crude oil and has already started the process of refining the fuel required for the power plants in the future.
“The refinery produces fossil fuels and naphtha as by-products. Power plants such as Sapugaskanda, Colombo Badge, West Coast and Uthuru Janani which have a generation capacity of 495 MW require fossil fuel. 495 megawatts of capacity can be generated for 13 days from the fossil fuel generated through the refinery process. Also, 150 MW power plant can be operated for five days from the Naphtha produced by the crude oil,”
PUCSL also points out that it is essential to get the support of the electricity consumers to manage the supply of electricity in such a challenging situation.
Clarifying it further Mr. Ratnayake, said, “We have proposed a number of electricity conservation measures that can be implemented with the assistance of consumers, such as limiting lighting, saving the use of air conditioners, and limiting the lighting time of street lamps. We estimate that these measures alone will save us 3.7-gigawatt hours per day. If so, a 150 MW power plant can be shut down for 24 hours. It is the responsibility of the electricity consumer to support the country by conservation of electricity in a situation like this. We urge all electricity consumers to support in the conservation of electricity to the best of their ability. If electricity is used inefficiently in a situation like this, it will lead to a power cut.”
The PUCSL has also taken steps to get the support of private and state organizations to generate about 300 MW of capacity through the efficient use of power generators owned by them.
The Chairman of the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka said, “One of the ways to get electricity instantly for us is the efficient use of the generators owned by various companies. We have already had a discussion on the same with the owners of 100 MW so far. It is scheduled to discuss with another group on the same matter this week. We hope to reach a final decision on the availability of about 300 megawatts of capacity from state and private generators before the end of next month.
The Director-General of Health Services has taken steps to extend the Health Guidelines Circular which was in force until 31st January to 28th February.
Meanwhile, the number of corona infections reported in one day crossed the 1,000 mark yesterday, four months later.
Deputy Director of Health Services Dr. Hemantha Herath said, “We update the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health from time to time. The guideline circular which was in force until now was issued at the end of December and was due to run until the 31st of January.
In this case, the Director-General of Health Services has taken steps to extend it to February 28. Due to special reasons, the circular issued earlier this month will come into force in the future, subjecting to a few revisions.”
The Booster Vaccine Mobile Vaccination Program, which has just begun, is still in operation today.
The health department is requesting the public to obtain the booster vaccine without delay at various centers including the Battaramulla Diyatha Uyana.
Dr. Hemantha Herath, Deputy Director-General of Health Services, said that people should be careful and follow health practices when visiting public places during the upcoming long vacation.
The doctor urges the people of the country to go to quiet and less crowded places as possible as people are tempted to travel on such long vacations and if possible it would be much better not to travel at all to avoid danger.
He said that although nearly 15 million people in the country have taken the second dose, only about 5 million people have received the third dose and the remaining 10 million are yet to be vaccinated.
The Deputy Director-General of Health Services said that there is a lot of discussion around the world ongoing about the booster vaccine developed against the Omicron virus variant and that the Sri Lankan health sector is also on the lookout for it and will take actions as soon as they receive clear information.
The Railway Department has decided to recall retired train controllers on a contract basis.
Railway Department that the decision was taken due to a shortage of train controllers.
The Ministry of Transport has submitted the relevant Cabinet Memorandum to the Cabinet, the Railway Department said.
Due to the shortage of train controllers, several train journeys have been canceled in recent days.
The Railway Department further stated that 21 train journeys had to be canceled last Friday due to a shortage of controllers.
Meanwhile, 14 train journeys on several routes have been canceled due to the several train controllers infected with covid.
Accordingly, 06 trains on the mainline, 04 trains on the coastal line and the Kelani Valley line, 03 trains on the Puttalam line and trains traveling to Kurunegala on the Northern line were also canceled, the department said in a statement.
The Railway Control Room states that 14 train journeys have been cancelled today due to a group of train controllers being infected with the Covid 19 virus.
Accordingly, two journeys on the coastal railway line, three journeys on the Puttalam road, two journeys on the Kelani Valley road, and seven journeys on the main railway route have been canceled.
