<ul><li>Over 100 mm rainfall possible in several areas</li><li>Red landslide warning for Kandy, Kegalle, N’Eliya</li><li>Fairly strong winds of around 30–40 kmph</li></ul>Heavy rainfall, landslides and possible flooding are expected to continue affecting several parts of the country today (21), with some areas likely to receive more than 100 mm of rain, the Department of Meteorology warned.The Department said a low-pressure area has formed over the Bay of Bengal, northeast of Sri Lanka near the Andaman region. Although the system is not expected to directly affect the island, prevailing winds towards it are expected to maintain rainy conditions, particularly over the south-western parts of the country.Showers or thundershowers are expected at times in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-Western provinces and in the Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara Eliya districts, with heavy rainfall exceeding 100 mm possible at some locations.Several spells of showers are also expected in the North-Central Province and Mannar District, while showers or thundershowers may occur at several places in the Uva Province and in Batticaloa and Ampara districts after 2 p.m.The Department also warned of fairly strong winds of around 30–40 kmph at times over the western slopes of the Central Hills, North-Central and North-Western provinces and in the Trincomalee, Hambantota and Matale districts. The public was urged to take precautions against temporary strong winds and lightning during thunderstorms.The heavy rain has already triggered weather-related incidents in several areas.A 44-year-old man died after falling into the Ritigaha Oya near Polkotuwa Junction on the Avissawella–Bulathkohupitiya road, as water levels rose rapidly following heavy rain yesterday (20). His body was later recovered from a water-filled pit downstream.Meanwhile, the National Building Research Institute (NBRI) issued a Level 3 (Red) landslide warning for parts of Kandy, Kegalle and Nuwara Eliya districts until 2 p.m. today.The warning covers Pasbage Korale in Kandy; Dehiowita, Aranayaka, Deraniyagala, Mawanella and Yatiyanthota in Kegalle; and Kotmale West, Kotmale East, Ambagamuwa and Norwood in Nuwara Eliya.A Level 2 (Amber) warning remains in force for selected areas of Colombo, Galle, Kalutara, Kandy, Kegalle, Matara, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura districts.A large landslide also blocked the Hatton–Bogawantalawa–Maskeliya–Balangoda road in the Dickoya, Wanaraja Estate area yesterday morning. Police and residents began clearing the debris, while the Road Development Authority was informed to deploy machinery. Authorities warned of further earth slips.The Irrigation Department meanwhile warned of possible minor flooding in low-lying areas along the Mahaweli River in the Pasbage Korale area following intense rainfall in the upper catchment.The highest rainfall recorded yesterday was 103.5 mm at Maliboda in Kegalle, while 93.5 mm was recorded at Delwala Tea Factory in Galle, 87.5 mm at Gurudiyapotha Tea Factory and 83 mm at Naboda in Kalutara. PHOTO: &nbsp;Kasun Liyadipita

Weather alert today: Heavy rain, landslides warnings issued 

The Government has addressed three key concerns raised by the Federation of University Teachers’ Associations (FUTA), according to Deputy Education Minister Madhura Seneviratne.Speaking to The Daily Morning, Seneviratne said FUTA had been informed of the steps taken by the Government to address the concerns.“The first one is the period of the academic year of a student being extended within the university. We have now reached out to the universities and discussed the issues related to delays, whether they are academic, non-academic, or related to physical facilities such as computers. We have taken the necessary measures to address these issues,” he said.He said the second concern was the recruitment of academic staff.“We have given advice to the universities to accelerate the recruitment of the academic cadre. We have advised them to recruit to the extent they can, and the Ministry would mediate when there are any hindrances,” he said.“The final issue was related to admitting students to schools near their parents’ workplaces. Now we have made it possible through a new circular to do so. If there is anything else that needs to be changed in it, we will consider that also next year,” he said.Seneviratne said these measures taken by the Government were communicated to university teachers during the meeting with FUTA, while the association’s response is yet to be seen.FUTA had engaged in trade union action on Wednesdays for two consecutive weeks before meeting with the Prime Minister the following week to present its demands. However, FUTA later announced that discussions between the parties had ended without a progressive solution.Attempts to reach FUTA President Ruchika Fernando were unsuccessful.

Key FUTA concerns addressed: Govt

A group of estate-sector youth staged a silent protest in Hatton yesterday (20), calling for a pardon for a Sri Lankan national who has reportedly been sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia over a social media comment.The protest was held at Malliappu Junction in Hatton and was organised by the Federation of Hindu Organisations, Sri Lanka.The protesters called for the release of Anojan Sivarasa, a Sri Lankan working in Saudi Arabia who has reportedly been sentenced to death over a Facebook comment concerning an incident involving a dog during a Hindu pilgrimage from Jaffna to Kataragama.The comment was reportedly deemed offensive to Islam and a religious leader. Anojan subsequently posted a video on social media apologising for the remarks.According to information presented by those involved, Saudi authorities arrested Anojan after determining that his Facebook comment had insulted Islam and a religious leader. He was initially sentenced to five years in prison and fined three million Saudi riyals.Parliamentarian Shanakiyan Rasamanickam claimed that the sentence was subsequently elevated to the death penalty following an appeal filed with the intervention of the Sri Lankan Government.Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has stated that special intervention is currently being made to secure Anojan’s release.

On death row in Saudi Arabia: Hatton youth rally for Sivarasa’s pardon

<ul><li>Say replacement violates Antiquities Ordinance</li><li>Call for legal action if restoration is not carried out</li></ul> Three former Directors General (DGs) of Archaeology have written to the Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs over the replacement of the casket in which the Sacred Tooth Relic had been kept, claiming that the removal of the historic casket and its replacement with a new casket is in complete violation of the Antiquities Ordinance and related legislation.The letter, signed by former Archaeology DGs Prof Senarath Dissanayake and Prof Anura Manatunga and former Acting DG of Archaeology Prof P B Mandawala, calls for the Sacred Tooth Relic to be placed back in the old casket and urges the authorities to take legal action if the relevant parties fail to do so.When contacted by The Daily Morning, Prof Manatunga confirmed that they had sent the letter to subject Minister Dr Hiniduma Sunil Senevi and Diyawadana Nilame (Chief Lay Custodian of the Sacred Tooth Relic) Pradeep Nilanga Dela, following a discussion with the Minister on 14 September regarding the issue.In their letter, which was seen by The Daily Morning, the former Archaeology chiefs said the old casket, made of silver and covered in gold, had been offered during the Kandy period by King Wimaladharmasuriya II, who ruled from 1687 to 1707. They said the Sacred Tooth Relic had been venerated by six kings, from Wimaladharmasuriya II to King Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe, as well as generations of devotees, for more than 300 years in that casket.They said the Temple of the Tooth is an ancient monument of national religious and cultural importance and is inseparably connected with the Sacred Tooth Relic, the casket in which it is kept and the Kandy Esala Perahera. The former officials therefore urged the authorities to consider the legal and heritage implications of removing the historic casket.The letter stated that under the Antiquities Ordinance, monuments and other movable properties dating from before 2 March 1815, or believed to have existed before that date, are considered antiquities. On that basis, the former DGs identified the old casket containing the Tooth Relic as an antiquity.They also pointed out that Kandy has been recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage site, with the Temple of the Tooth and the Sacred Tooth Relic itself being among the principal reasons for its designation. They therefore claimed that removing the old casket in which the Sacred Tooth Relic had been kept could affect the outstanding universal value of the Kandy World Heritage city.The letter further referred to Section 15(a) of the Antiquities Ordinance, as amended, which deals with the destruction, alteration or unauthorised alteration of an ancient monument or antiquity. The former DGs claimed that, since the old casket had been permanently installed as part of the Temple of the Tooth, its removal could be considered an alteration or unauthorised modification.They also referred to Section 31(b) of the Antiquities Ordinance, which deals with acts carried out on or near a monument regarded as sacred or held in veneration in a manner that wounds or provokes religious feelings. The former officials claimed that the removal of the old casket has caused considerable public reaction and could therefore fall within the scope of that provision.They proposed that the Sacred Tooth Relic be placed back in the old casket and that the newly offered gold casket be given due respect as a sacred offering made to the Sacred Tooth Relic, either at the same location or at another suitable place. They further called for legal action under the Antiquities Ordinance against the relevant authorities if the proposed restoration is not carried out.The controversy comes after the Sacred Tooth Relic was placed in a new gold casket, replacing the historic casket in which it had been kept. The move has since generated considerable discussion over the preservation of the historic casket and its place within the religious and cultural heritage associated with the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic.The three former DGs have copied their letter to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the Secretary to the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs and the Director General of Archaeology (Acting) Senarath Wickramasinghe, calling for the matter to receive the attention of the relevant authorities without delay.Multiple attempts by The Daily Morning to contact subject Minister Dr Sunil Senevi, Deputy subject Minister Gamagedara Dissanayake, Diyawadana Nilame Nilanga Dela, the Malwathu and Asgiri Chapters of the Siam Buddhist Sect, which are the custodians of the Sacred Tooth Relic, and Archaeology DG (Acting) Wickramasinghe proved futile.

SACRED TOOTH RELIC CONTROVERSY: Ex-Archaeology chiefs demand old casket restored

The National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol (NATA) has launched a strategic plan to reduce the country’s smoking rate, currently at 10%, ahead of the implementation of the proposed Tobacco-Free Generation (TFG) programme, while acknowledging the practical difficulties of eliminating tobacco use completely.Speaking to The Daily Morning, NATA Chairman Dr Ananda Rathnayaka said reducing tobacco use among existing smokers was essential for the TFG programme to succeed.“10 percent of our country’s population are smokers. We are on a strategic plan to reduce this as much as possible,” he said.He acknowledged that completely eradicating tobacco by the planned target year would be difficult due to the continued availability of tobacco products in society.Although the programme has been launched, he said achieving 100% eradication would not be possible through the TFG programme alone.“The Tobacco-Free Generation programme cannot do this alone. The strategies are in progress to reduce the population of smokers,” he said.“Although there are plans to eradicate tobacco totally by a particular year, that won’t be possible actually. But after a couple of generations, we will be able to eradicate it totally,” he said.A Tobacco-Free Generation public health policy aims to permanently ban the legal sale of tobacco products to anyone born after a specific cut-off date. NATA, with the support of the Alcohol and Drug Information Centre (ADIC), has been pushing for the implementation of the policy in Sri Lanka.However, the TFG programme remains a Cabinet paper.Rathnayaka urged media personnel to reiterate the importance of the programme to the Government and continue to push for its implementation.

 Tobacco-Free Generation: NATA steps up drive to cut smoking 

<ul><li>To work until decision is reached on electoral system</li></ul>The Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) examining the electoral system for the long-delayed Provincial Council (PC) elections will continue its work until it makes its final recommendations, despite the Opposition’s decision to withdraw from its meetings, a Government Parliamentarian and Committee member said.Speaking to The Daily Morning, Committee member Dharmapriya Wijesinghe said Opposition members had not formally informed the Committee in writing that they were resigning, adding that its work would continue.“They have not informed the Committee in writing thus far that they are resigning. But we will continue to take the Committee forward. We will not stop it,” he said.He said the Committee had been assigned a specific task by Parliament and would continue until that task was completed.“The Committee has been given a responsibility by Parliament. That is to recommend the electoral system under which the PC elections should be held. We will fulfil that responsibility. The Opposition should also understand that we have no intention to postpone PC elections through this Committee. However, because we have to ensure youth and women’s representation and because there are shortcomings in the previous preferential voting system, we need some time to make recommendations,” Wijesinghe said.He further said the Committee was not divided along Government and Opposition lines, noting that a parliamentary committee consisted of its appointed members, regardless of whether they represented the Government or Opposition, as well as its chairperson.“There is no Government-Opposition division in this Committee. There are members of the Committee. The Speaker has appointed those members. If the majority of those members are present, the Committee can continue,” he said.The PSC was appointed to examine and report to Parliament on the electoral system under which PC elections should be held and to submit proposals and recommendations.Parliament has extended the Committee’s term until 17 December 2026, stating that it requires further time to report its observations.The Opposition recently announced that it would withdraw from future PSC meetings in protest against the extension of its term. Opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya General Secretary and MP Ranjith Madduma Bandara said in Parliament on 11 September that the Committee had already been meeting for nine months and alleged that its proceedings amounted to a delay in holding the PC elections.

PC Elections: PSC to press on without Opposition 

The SJB will stage a protest near the Parliament roundabout at Polduwa Junction at 9 a.m. on 24 September against the proposed 22nd Amendment to the Constitution, with other Opposition parties also invited to join the rally.The protest will be held under the patronage of Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa.Speaking to The Daily Morning, SJB National Organiser Thissa Attanayake said invitations had already been sent to other Opposition parties.“The rally will take place near Parliament to show the opposition to the Government’s 22nd Amendment. All the leaders of the invited parties have informed us that they will be taking part in the rally,” he said.Meanwhile, the Supreme Court’s determination on the proposed amendment is expected to be handed over to the Speaker today (21).Asked whether the SJB had considered the possible outcome of the Supreme Court determination when organising the rally, Attanayake said the protest would not have any impact on the Court’s decision.“We don’t know what the determination is. This rally is to show the opposition of the people towards the amendment, and we are holding it,” he said.The confidential determination of the Supreme Court on the proposed 22nd Amendment is scheduled to be presented to Parliament tomorrow (22), after being received by the Speaker today (21).The determination will outline whether the Bill requires a two-thirds majority in Parliament or a public referendum.

SJB to rally against 22A

<ul><li>Residents question environmental and health risks</li><li>CEA says site is approved only for grinding and packing clinker</li></ul> Parents and residents in the Seeduwa-Katunayake area have raised concerns over a proposed cement-related facility in Liyanagemulla, claiming that its location could pose environmental and public health risks.Speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday (20), residents said the land had initially been intended for a hotel, but that plans had reportedly changed around 2020 to develop a cement-related project. They said the company subsequently obtained annual approvals from the Central Environmental Authority (CEA), with the proposed operation described as a mini cement facility involving the grinding and repacking of cement rather than cement manufacturing.However, residents questioned whether such a facility should be permitted in the area, which they described as highly populated and environmentally sensitive.They pointed out that the site is located about 100 metres from the Negombo Lagoon and close to the Muthurajawela mangrove ecosystem. Several schools, including international schools, are also located in the vicinity, they said.Residents also questioned approvals reportedly granted by the Urban Development Authority (UDA), claiming that construction approval was granted in 2025. They further alleged that the approval had been issued on a government holiday.Repeated attempts to contact the UDA Director General for a response were unsuccessful at the time of going to press.When contacted for comment, CEA Director General R S P Kapila Rajapaksha stressed the CEA had not granted approval for cement manufacturing at the site. He said the operation was limited to grinding and packing clinkers manufactured elsewhere.“We have not given an environmental licence for cement manufacturing at this location. No manufacturing takes place there. The clinker is manufactured elsewhere, brought to this site, ground and then packed,” he said.Explaining the difference, Rajapaksha said cement manufacturing involved bringing limestone and other compounds together, processing them in a kiln and firing them to produce clinker. He said this was the stage that could cause significant environmental impacts, particularly through emissions.“That process does not take place here,” he said.He said the approval granted for the site covered the grinding and packing of already-manufactured clinker, subject to environmental conditions.“Even for this process, we have imposed conditions that it should operate as a completely closed-loop system and that special measures should be taken to control emissions,” he said.Rajapaksha said the environmental recommendations for the project had been issued in 2022 and had been renewed annually.“The environmental recommendations for the project were given in 2022. We were not the ones who gave them, and they were not given recently. The licence has been renewed annually,” he said.He said an environmental recommendation may have been issued when the company initially applied to establish the industry, possibly following an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) study.He added that the CEA had more recently issued an environmental assessment report and required the company to prepare a management plan to prevent environmental damage from its operations.“When we took over, construction had already reached a certain stage. When they came to renew the licence, we asked them to prepare a management plan to prevent any environmental damage that could arise from the current operations. They have submitted that plan,” he said.Rajapaksha said the company had subsequently sought permission to carry out additional construction at the rear of the site, but that the CEA had rejected the request because a 100-metre buffer zone had to be maintained between the site and the Negombo Lagoon.“They made requests on about two occasions to carry out construction in that area, but we did not approve either request,” he said.He said the operation currently had approval based on the environmental recommendations issued in 2022, which had been renewed annually.Responding to further questions, Rajapaksha said the process did not generate effluent and that the CEA had not permitted any discharge of waste or other material from the site.“It is a dry process, and we have not permitted any discharge of waste or other material. Even from the waste treatment plant that is already there, we have not permitted treated effluent to be discharged into that area,” he said.He added that if any unauthorised discharge took place, the CEA had the authority to revoke the approval.

Residents raise alarm over cement facility

:&nbsp;A former office assistant of the Department of Immigration and Emigration was arrested by Nawagamuwa Police on Saturday night (19) for allegedly possessing 48 passports belonging to other individuals for the purpose of preparing forged documents.Police said a machine used to examine security features on passports and currency notes, along with a smartphone, were also recovered from the suspect, a 70-year-old resident of Ihala Bomiriya, Kaduwela.According to Police, the Divisional Intelligence Unit of the Nawagamuwa Police had received information that forged documents were being prepared at a residence in the area to assist an individual in obtaining a visa through an embassy.Acting on the information, a team from the Anti-Corruption Unit of the Nawagamuwa Police arrested the suspect during a raid conducted on the instructions of Nawagamuwa Police OIC Chief Inspector Susantha Jayanath and under the direction of Sub-Inspector R Shreemaal.During questioning, the suspect reportedly told Police that he had worked as an office assistant at the Department of Immigration and Emigration for about five yeaRs He had subsequently worked at a recruitment agency in Battaramulla, from where he had obtained the passports, according to Police.Investigations have revealed that the suspect allegedly removed visa pages from old passports using steam and carefully attached them to new passports to make it appear to embassies that individuals applying to travel to various countries on tourist visas had previously travelled abroad.The suspect reportedly told Police that he charged Rs 20,000 per person for the service.Police said visa pages had been removed from around 15 of the 48 passports recovered from the suspect.Further investigations are being conducted into the alleged document forgery and the circumstances under which the passports were obtained.&nbsp;

Weather alert today: Heavy rain, landslides warnings issued

Key FUTA concerns addressed: Govt

Key FUTA concerns addressed: G ...

On death row in Saudi Arabia: Hatton youth rally for Sivarasa’s pardon

On death row in Saudi Arabia: ...

SACRED TOOTH RELIC CONTROVERSY: Ex-Archaeology chiefs demand old caske ...

SACRED TOOTH RELIC CONTROVERSY ...

Tobacco-Free Generation: NATA steps up drive to cut smoking

Tobacco-Free Generation: NATA ...

PC Elections: PSC to press on without Opposition

PC Elections: PSC to press on ...

SJB to rally against 22A

SJB to rally against 22A

Residents raise alarm over cement facility

Residents raise alarm over cem ...

Ex-Immigration employee held with 48 passports

Ex-Immigration employee held w ...

Key FUTA concerns addressed: Govt

Key FUTA concerns addressed: G ...

On death row in Saudi Arabia: Hatton youth rally for Sivarasa’s pardon

On death row in Saudi Arabia: ...

SACRED TOOTH RELIC CONTROVERSY: Ex-Archaeology chiefs demand old caske ...

SACRED TOOTH RELIC CONTROVERSY ...

Tobacco-Free Generation: NATA steps up drive to cut smoking

Tobacco-Free Generation: NATA ...

PC Elections: PSC to press on without Opposition

PC Elections: PSC to press on ...

SJB to rally against 22A

SJB to rally against 22A

Residents raise alarm over cement facility

Residents raise alarm over cem ...

Ex-Immigration employee held with 48 passports

Ex-Immigration employee held w ...

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Key FUTA concerns addressed: Govt

Key FUTA concerns addressed: G ...

On death row in Saudi Arabia: Hatton youth rally for Sivarasa’s pardon

On death row in Saudi Arabia: ...

Bringing the news paper to your fingertips

SACRED TOOTH RELIC CONTROVERSY: Ex-Archaeology chiefs demand old caske ...

SACRED TOOTH RELIC CONTROVERSY ...

Tobacco-Free Generation: NATA steps up drive to cut smoking

Tobacco-Free Generation: NATA ...

PC Elections: PSC to press on without Opposition

PC Elections: PSC to press on ...

SJB to rally against 22A

SJB to rally against 22A