Cloudbursts and heavy rains overnight left a trail of destruction in Uttarakhand’s capital Dehradun and several other parts of the state on Tuesday as swollen rivers washed away buildings, roads and bridges, leaving 15 people dead, 16 missing, and 900 stranded in different locations in the hill state. Of the total fatalities, Dehradun district alone reported 13 and Nainital and Pithoragarh districts one each. Sixteen people are reported missing in different parts of the state capital, the Uttarakhand Disaster Management Authority said. Three people were also injured in the incidents, it said, adding that they are under treatment. Search for the missing continued amid inclement weather while NDRF, SDRF and fire brigade personnel brought most of the stranded people to safety, the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) here said. It said that 900 people stranded in different locations were rescued by the SDRF, NDRF and Fire Brigade personnel. Most rivers were in spate following the showers. The Tamsa River, also known as the Tons River, inundated the famous Tapkeshwar Temple on its bank, submerging the gigantic Hanuman statue near its entrance up to the shoulders. The temple’s priest, Bipin Joshi, said that he has not seen the river waters rise so high in the past 25 to 30 years. Luckily, there were a few devotees within the temple premises in the early morning hours when the inundation occurred, he said, adding that the priests staying at the temple are safe. Roads were breached, and several bridges were washed away in Dehradun district. With the swollen rivers flowing over the roads, evacuating people to safety was a huge challenge. Videos shared on social media showed SDRF personnel helping stranded people wade through the violent currents of flooded rivers in which vehicles, including cars and trucks, were left stuck. About 400-500 students trapped due to waterlogging at the Devbhoomi Institute campus in Paundha area of Dehradun were rescued by an SDRF team, said Banshidhar Tiwari, Director General, Information. A boy clinging precariously to an electric pole, which he had climbed to save himself from the swirling waters of a river raging below, was brought to safety by an SDRF man with the help of a rope, risking his own life. Sahastradhara, Maldevta, Santla Devi and Dalanwala were the worst-hit by the disaster, according to the district disaster management office here. Sahastradhara received 192 mm of rain, followed by Maldevta (141.5 mm), Hathi Barkala and Jolly Grant (92.5mm each) and Kalsi (83.5 mm). Several roads, houses and shops were damaged, and bridges washed away. The Dehradun-Mussoorie road was also breached at several points, prompting the police to appeal to tourists and visitors to stay wherever they were for their own safety, whether in hotels, homes or homestays, till the road is restored. Waterlogging in Tehri left people stranded at Geeta Bhawan, Tiwari said, adding that they were later rescued. A road in Nainital was blocked by debris brought by a landslide triggered by heavy rain, an official said. Residents of Majhara village were forced to take shelter on the road, having survived what they called a landslide that hit their dwellings early in the morning. They claimed that some people have gone missing. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami visited the rain-affected areas of Dehradun district to review the situation on the ground. Local MLAs and senior officials accompanied him. Interacting with reporters in the rain-hit Maldevta area, he said, “All rivers are in spate following heavy rains. Roads have been breached at 25 to 30 places. Approach roads are cut off. Houses and government properties have been damaged. Normal life is severely affected. Rescue teams are working on a war footing to restore normalcy.”&nbsp;“The state government stands with every affected family. The administration is already on alert mode, and the NDRF, SDRF, police and local administration are active,” he said. Dhami briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah about the situation in Uttarakhand following heavy showers. They assured the state of all possible help and asserted that the Union government stands firmly with the people of Uttarakhand in this hour of crisis, according to the CMO. Heavy rains caused the Song River in Dehradun to swell, flooding nearby areas. It endangered a bridge in Maldevta, prompting the administration to respond quickly and work in coordination to restore normalcy. Dhami reviewed the situation once again at the State Emergency Operation Centre here in the evening and asked officials to run the relief and rescue operations on a war footing. “The government stands with every victim; no effort will be spared to provide succour to the affected people. Search for the missing continues, and stranded people are being taken to safety. Relief camps are being set up with adequate supply of food, drinking water and medicines,” he said. Source: PTI

Heavy rain wreaks havoc in India’s Dehradun; 15 killed in the state, 16 missing

Employees of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) have begun a "sick leave" campaign today (17) as part of a trade union action.&nbsp; According to Kosala Abeysinghe, Chairman of the CEB Technical Engineers’ Union, this marks the second phase of their ongoing protest against the government's plans to restructure the CEB. The unions have previously engaged in a "work-to-rule" campaign and have stated that this new action is intended to intensify pressure on the Government while minimizing inconvenience to the public.&nbsp; They have warned that a full-scale strike could be initiated if their demands are not met.

CEB employees launch "Sick Leave" union action

Donald Trump has accused an Australian journalist of "hurting Australia" after the leader was asked about his business deals while in office. The US president was asked by John Lyons from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) how much wealthier he had become since returning to the White House in January. "I don't know," Trump replied, saying his children handled the family businesses. "In my opinion, you are hurting Australia very much right now, and they want to get along with me." Trump said he was going to be meeting Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese "very soon", adding: "I'm going to tell him about you. You set a very bad tone." When Lyons tried to ask another question, Trump held his index finger to his lips before saying "quiet" and moved away to speak to another journalist. For months, Albanese has been seeking a meeting with the US president after talks between the pair were cancelled at the last-minute when Trump left the G20 summit in June earlier than expected to deal with the war in the Middle East. Albanese - who will be in the US for the UN General Assembly next week - told ABC radio on Monday that he and Trump would "see each other in New York". "He's hosting a reception on Tuesday night of next week. And as well, we'll see each other at various forums that are taking place between now and the end of the year." In recent months, US-Australia relations have become strained since the Trump administration announced a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy8d3d5l9l1o" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">review into Aukus</a>, a major submarine deal worth £176bn ($239bn; A$368bn) between the US, UK and Australia which was signed in 2021. In April, Australia was also hit with a tariff of at least 10% on all exports to the US, which Albanese said was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c705z2e8wxzo" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">"not the act of a friend"</a>.Lyons said after the terse response from Trump that it was an "absurd notion" that asking legitimate questions politely would hurt relations between the long-time allies. "For me, it was a perfectly normal thing to do to ask questions that I don't think were provocative," he told the ABC, adding his enquiries were fair, based on research and not asked in an abusive way. The ABC said his questions were part of an investigation by their Four Corners programme looking into Trump's business dealings since returning to office. Shortly after the tense exchange, a social media post on an official White House account showing the response was captioned: Trump "smacks down a rude foreign Fake News loser". Source : BBC

Trump clashes with Australian journalist over business deals in office

Construction of the Kadawatha–Mirigama stretch of the Central Expressway resumes today (17) under President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.&nbsp; Work will also begin on the Kadawatha Interchange and first 500 meters, with Rs. 8.6 billion allocated and a $500 million loan from China’s Exim Bank.&nbsp; The 37 km section is set for completion by mid-2028.

Central expressway Kadawatha–Mirigama section resumes today

The Department of Meteorology has forecast showers at times across the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, Northwestern, and Northern provinces, as well as in the Galle and Matara districts. Showers or thunderstorms are also expected in other areas of the island after 1:00 p.m.&nbsp;The Met Department warns that some locations are likely to receive fairly heavy rainfall, with precipitation exceeding 50 mm. The public is advised to take necessary precautions to minimize damage caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.

Fairly heavy rainfall expected in several parts of the island

<ul><li>Overseas Lankans to be granted the SL franchise, multi-stakeholder comm. to examine legal amendments/new laws formulation</li></ul> The Election Commission (EC) has requested Rs. 10 billion through next year’s (2026) national Budget to conduct the long-delayed Provincial Council (PC) Elections.Speaking to The Daily Morning, EC Chairperson R.M.A.L. Rathnayake said that funds for elections are sought on an annual basis and will continue to be requested until the polls are held. “When there is an election due, we request the necessary funds. Last year (2024), we requested money for the PC Elections, and since they have not yet been held, we made a request this year as well,” he said.As informed by Rathnayake, The Daily Morning contacted the EC’s Accounts Division to clarify the exact amount requested and an official from the division said that a sum of Rs. 10 billion had been sought to be allocated.The PC Elections have been postponed for several years due to a legal issue stemming from an amendment that the United National Front Government (2015-2020) sought to introduce. On an earlier occasion, Public Administration, PCs and Local Government (LG) Deputy Minister Ruwan Senarath told The Daily Morning that the Government intended to begin the legal reform process for PC Elections once the LG Elections were completed. However, the LG Elections, held on 6 May this year were not followed by any visible preparations either to hold the PC Elections or to initiate the necessary legal amendments.Meanwhile, the Cabinet of Ministers has granted approval to examine the necessary legal amendments and formulate new laws to safeguard the voting rights of Sri Lankan citizens residing overseas.As per Article 3 of the Constitution, the sovereignty rights reserved with the people are used in an election. The right to vote is reserved only for the citizens living within Sri Lanka and who are registered under their names in the electoral register as per the elections law. According to the current elections law, there is no provision to secure any method to cast votes for the citizens residing overseas or no law has been formulated in this regard.&nbsp;However, it has been recognised as a timely requirement to amend such types of laws. Accordingly, the Cabinet granted their concurrence for the Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils (PCs) and Local Governments (LG) to take action to appoint a committee comprised of officials in the EC, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment, the Ministry of Public Administration, PCs and LG as well as in the other Ministries and institutions to study particulars relevant to amending laws and the formulation of new laws to safeguard the voting rights of citizens residing overseas.

PC Polls: EC requests Rs. 10 b from 2026 Budget 

<ul><li> Comm. Member Dayasiri Jayasekara confirms Min. Secy.'s summoning&nbsp;&nbsp;</li></ul> In the wake of reports that he has been summoned before the Parliamentary Committee on High Posts, the Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security, retired Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police Ravi Seneviratne said that he has not been informed to appear before the committee. When contacted by The Daily Morning, he said: “I have not been informed to appear.”It was however reported earlier this week that the said committee had decided to summon Seneviratne for an inquiry into legal cases pending against him, including one relating to an alleged incident of driving under the influence of alcohol. Speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday (16), Opposition Member of the said committee, Attorney Dayasiri Jayasekara confirmed that the committee has decided to summon him.The committee reviews the suitability of individuals appointed or nominated to positions determined by the Cabinet of Ministers and makes recommendations accordingly. At present, the committee examines three categories of officers: Secretaries to Cabinet Ministries, heads of Sri Lankan missions abroad, and the chairpersons of boards, corporations, and other state institutions. Once a nomination is received, the nominee must submit a bio-data and a declaration of assets and liabilities in the prescribed format. The Committee Secretary also publishes notices in newspapers in Sinhala, Tamil, and English, inviting the public to submit representations or petitions regarding such appointments. The committee is required to report to the Parliament periodically and continues its work even if the Parliament is prorogued.

High Posts Comm.: Public Security Secy. denies summoning 

<ul><li>Trade, Commerce, Food Sec. Min. accuses them of exploiting usual Oct.-Nov. shortage, decision to import yet unimplemented</li><li>PMB to buy Yala crop in P’naruwa, A’pura, Trinco, Rs. 5,288 m already spent in 16 Districts to buy 43,891 MT</li><li>Rs. 7,000/MT for fire-hit Sevanagala sugarcane farmers&nbsp;</li><li>SJB claims Govt. response to paddy farmers ‘counterproductive’&nbsp;</li></ul> The Ministry of Trade, Commerce, and Food Security claimed yesterday (16) that large-scale rice mill owners are attempting to exploit the usual shortage of Keeri Samba rice that emerges in October and November by raising prices above the Government’s maximum retail price (MRP). Speaking to The Daily Morning, Deputy Minister of Trade, Commerce, and Food Security, R.M. Jayawardhana said that Keeri Samba production was lower last year (2024), and that the stock was purchased mainly by large-scale mill owners. He added that at present, small- and medium-scale millers do not have Keeri Samba stocks in their possession.&nbsp;“We said that a kilogram (kg) of Keeri Samba paddy should be purchased at Rs. 132. But, they (large-scale mill owners) bought it at prices like Rs. 170–175. At those prices, it became impossible for them to sell a kilo of rice at the Government’s set price of Rs. 260. They have therefore been trying to sell Keeri Samba rice at higher prices. Now, they are misusing the usual Keeri Samba shortage that arises in October and November to sell rice at higher prices,” he said. He added that while the Government has already decided to allow the import of Keeri Samba to ease the shortage, the said decision is yet to be implemented. Rice wholesalers in Pettah recently said that they are refraining from selling Keeri Samba rice because producers are supplying it to them at prices higher than the control price of Rs. 260. As a result, retailers are also holding back from selling the variety. In response to the situation, the United Rice Producers’ Association has called on the Government to remove the MRP imposed on Samba and Keeri Samba rice. However, the Sri Lanka Small- and Medium-Scale Paddy Mill Owners’ Association has opposed the move, alleging that large-scale mill owners are attempting to create an artificial shortage and profit from it.Meanwhile, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal to obtain additional provisions to implement the purchase of paddy from farmers in this year’s Yala season under the controlled prices announced by the Government. Accordingly, the Government has allocated Rs. 6,000 million for the programme to purchase paddy for the Yala season, and the Paddy Marketing Board (PMB) has already purchased 43,891 metric tons (MT) of paddy, using Rs. 5,288 million in 16 districts. Therefore, the PMB has planned to purchase the paddy from the Polonnaruwa, Anuradhapura, and Trincomalee Districts, where the harvesting is still going on. Accordingly, the Cabinet has approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land, and Irrigation to obtain the additional provisions to implement the purchase of paddy from the farmers in the Yala season under the fixed prices of the Government.Moreover, the Cabinet has granted approval to the proposal to provide compensation of Rs. 7,000 per MT for sugarcane destroyed by the fire at the sugarcane plantations in Sevanagala. It has been reported that some individuals have allegedly set fire to the sugarcane plantations of the Sevanagala Sugar Factory that belongs to the Lanka Sugar (Private) Limited on 16, 20-22, and 24 August and 4-5 September this year.&nbsp;It has been estimated that approximately 19,000 MT of sugarcane that belong to 235 farmers have been destroyed or damaged due to this. Since the fire affected sugarcane should be ground only within the first 24 hours, the purchase and grinding of the fire-hit sugarcane had been winded up on 30 August. Due to this, there has been unrest among the sugarcane farmers, and therefore, the Government’s attention has been drawn to compensate them financially for the devastated crops. Accordingly, the Cabinet granted approval to the proposal jointly furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Plan Implementation and Economic Development and the Minister of Industries and Entrepreneurship Development to appoint a committee comprised of officials from the Sugarcane Research Institute and the Lanka Sugar (Pvt.) Ltd. to obtain information on the precise extent of sugarcane area devastated by the fire and the number of farmers whose crops were devastated and to compensate those farmers with Rs. 7,000 per MT of sugarcane destroyed by the fire.However, the main Opposition, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), alleged that the Government has not succeeded in providing acceptable solutions to the ongoing protests and that the Government should therefore pay attention to providing sustainable solutions to them. SJB Parliamentarian Dr. Kavinda Heshan Jayawardhana stated this during a press briefing held yesterday in Colombo. He pointed out the ongoing union action by farmers, teachers and Ceylon Electricity Board employees. “The Government has ignored the country’s needs and the people’s hunger. Oppression has been in place since the Government came to power and we have been losing the freedom for democracy,” he said.&nbsp; Among the key matters discussed by Dr. Jayawardhana was the Government’s response to the farmers’ demands. He opined that the Government’s response was counterproductive: “The Government said that it will reduce rice prices and will stop the importation of rice,” he said, claiming that the Government is enforcing the law against small-scale rice millers while giving more freedom to large-scale rice millers.

Keeri Samba shortage: Large-scale millers under fire for jacking up MRP

<ul><li>A total of 228,000+ arrested in 2024 linked to narco crime</li><li>Kehelbaddara Padme’s associate ‘Pas Deva’ nabbed with drugs/bullets; placed under PTA detention</li></ul> Arrests related to crystal methamphetamine, commonly known as ‘Ice’, in 2024, have increased 161% compared to 2023, the Police data showed. The Police noted that 228,450 people were arrested for drug offenses. Of them, 68,132 were arrested for offenses related to ‘Ice’. The authorities seized 832.3 kilograms (kg) of heroin, 8,359 kg of cannabis, and 1,364 kg of ‘Ice’ in 2024.Meanwhile, the Western Province North Crimes Division on Monday (15) informed the Colombo Magistrate’s Court that Devanmini Dissanayake, also known by the alias ‘Pas Deva’, an individual who is said to be a close associate of organised crime suspect ‘Kehelbaddara Padme’, who is currently in custody, is being detained and interrogated under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act as amended (PTA) on the orders of the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence. Accordingly, the suspect will be held and questioned for a period of 90 days, as informed to the Additional Magistrate H.D.D.J. Premarathna. The Police stated that during interrogation following Pas Deva’s arrest, they recovered 440 grams of narcotics and several live bullets from a hotel previously owned by ‘Kehelbaddara Padme’. Having considered the submissions, the Magistrate instructed the Police to report on the progress of the investigations to Court at a future date.Elsewhere, a total of 598 suspects have been arrested on suspicion of being involved in criminal activities and also over illicit liquor- and drug-related offenses during a special islandwide operation conducted on Monday. As part of the operation, 27,580 people were subjected to inspection, the Police Media Division said. Police have identified 24 suspects directly linked to criminal activities while 418 suspects with outstanding warrants were arrested during the operation. According to the report, a total of 45 drunk drivers were apprehended while a further 16 reckless drivers and 3,857 persons who violated various other traffic offences were identified. According to the Police, islandwide operations are conducted to apprehend small-, medium-, and large-scale drug traffickers, individuals involved in criminal activities, and those in the possession of illegal firearms.

Heavy rain wreaks havoc in India’s Dehradun; 15 killed in th ...

CEB employees launch "Sick Leave" union action

CEB employees launch "Sick Lea ...

Trump clashes with Australian journalist over business deals in office

Trump clashes with Australian ...

Central expressway Kadawatha–Mirigama section resumes today

Central expressway Kadawatha–M ...

Fairly heavy rainfall expected in several parts of the island

Fairly heavy rainfall expected ...

PC Polls: EC requests Rs. 10 b from 2026 Budget

PC Polls: EC requests Rs. 10 b ...

High Posts Comm.: Public Security Secy. denies summoning

High Posts Comm.: Public Secur ...

Keeri Samba shortage: Large-scale millers under fire for jacking up MR ...

Keeri Samba shortage: Large-sc ...

Drugs: Majority of arrests in 2024 linked to ‘Ice’

Drugs: Majority of arrests in ...

CEB employees launch "Sick Leave" union action

CEB employees launch "Sick Lea ...

Trump clashes with Australian journalist over business deals in office

Trump clashes with Australian ...

Central expressway Kadawatha–Mirigama section resumes today

Central expressway Kadawatha–M ...

Fairly heavy rainfall expected in several parts of the island

Fairly heavy rainfall expected ...

PC Polls: EC requests Rs. 10 b from 2026 Budget

PC Polls: EC requests Rs. 10 b ...

High Posts Comm.: Public Security Secy. denies summoning

High Posts Comm.: Public Secur ...

Keeri Samba shortage: Large-scale millers under fire for jacking up MR ...

Keeri Samba shortage: Large-sc ...

Drugs: Majority of arrests in 2024 linked to ‘Ice’

Drugs: Majority of arrests in ...

Bringing the news paper to your fingertips

CEB employees launch "Sick Leave" union action

CEB employees launch "Sick Lea ...

Trump clashes with Australian journalist over business deals in office

Trump clashes with Australian ...

Bringing the news paper to your fingertips

Central expressway Kadawatha–Mirigama section resumes today

Central expressway Kadawatha–M ...

Fairly heavy rainfall expected in several parts of the island

Fairly heavy rainfall expected ...

PC Polls: EC requests Rs. 10 b from 2026 Budget

PC Polls: EC requests Rs. 10 b ...

High Posts Comm.: Public Security Secy. denies summoning

High Posts Comm.: Public Secur ...