A decision has been taken to ensure that examinations are conducted as scheduled, according to the Cabinet Sub-Committee appointed to ensure the orderly functioning of the public service.The second meeting of the said Sub-Committee was held on Tuesday (24) at the Presidential Secretariat, under the patronage of Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya. Discussions were held on immediate measures required to ensure the uninterrupted delivery of Government services to the public and to address challenges faced by public servants.&nbsp;Attention was also focused on maintaining the continuous operation of services under the Ministries of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government; Health; Education; and Justice. Accordingly, it was decided to ensure that essential medicines are supplied to hospitals without disruption. Challenges in passenger transport services and the railway system, as well as future measures, were also discussed.&nbsp;Focus was further placed on steps to be taken regarding the transportation of essential goods. In addition, attention was given to introducing digital service systems to facilitate remote work and enhance the efficiency of existing services. It was also noted that these activities would be supervised under the Digital Economy Ministry. Instructions were further issued to review current energy management practices across all Ministries and Departments and to take steps to implement necessary policy changes.

Exams to be held as scheduled 

The Civil Collective for Malaiyaha Reconstruction organisation said that the estates are being largely neglected in the post-Ditwah restoration programmes, and that some of the estates are not being restored with basic facilities.Speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday (25), Convenor of the Collective, Selvaraja Rajasegar said that even in the camps, the Malaiyaha community is mistreated, and that in some estates in Badulla, camps are also doubling as schools, in turn requiring camp dwellers to move out for the duration of the school hours, while some estates, including Gavarakale, have not been restored with electricity after Ditwah destroyed infrastructure.&nbsp;“In some areas in Badulla, people are living in the same houses that were destroyed by the landslides; there is nowhere for them to go,” he said. He further added that data about the broken roads have not been taken by any of the authorities yet.The Plantation and Community Infrastructure Ministry was unavailable for comment.&nbsp;The issues of the Malaiyaha community remain an unaddressed issue for a long while, and yesterday, the community submitted a 15-point set of demands on their rights to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Some of the key demands include financial aid of up to Rs. five million for destroyed homes, equal treatment in relief distribution, and the provision of formal land ownership documents. They are also calling for transitional shelters that meet humanitarian standards, and the redevelopment of estate settlements into sustainable villages with proper infrastructure.

Post-Ditwah recovery leaves Estates behind 

<ul><li>20k end-stage kidney disease patients estimated&nbsp;</li><li>Experts urge yearly testing for those with diabetes, HBP&nbsp;</li></ul> At least 5,000 patients in the final stages of kidney disease are annually reported in the country, Additional Secretary to the Health Ministry, Deputy Director General of Public Health Services and Consultant Community Physician, Dr. Champika Wickramasinghe, said.&nbsp;Speaking to the media at the briefing to commemorate the World Kidney Day, Dr. Wickramasinghe said that approximately 5,000 patients in the final stage of renal disease are reported each year. Speaking at the Health Promotion Bureau yesterday (25), she said that according to estimates, at any given time, there are around 20,000 patients in the country suffering from end-stage kidney disease.Dr. Wickramasinghe noted that the burden of these patients is not limited to the health sector alone. It also affects their families, both mentally and financially. However, while treatment at this stage is difficult, the resources that are available to treat this disease are also limited. For instance, the State health service can only give haemodialysis treatment for about 5,000 patients each year. In addition, around 300 patients are able to undergo kidney transplants, she said.&nbsp;“What is important is not merely increasing these treatments, but preventing the disease from occurring in the first place. The Ministry, in this regard, issued a circular which has underlined that every patient with diabetes or high blood pressure (HBP) should undergo yearly kidney health checks.Nephrologist at the Colombo North Teaching Hospital, Ragama, Dr. Nalaka Herath meanwhile warned that chronic kidney disease (CKD) does not show symptoms. “About 90 per cent of patients do not show symptoms”. Hence, he noted that the only way to diagnose the disease is by testing. He said however that those who are at high risk of suffering from CKD such as those with diabetes and HBP, should have themselves tested. Also, those who suffer from kidney stones, kidney inflammation and frequent kidney infections should undergo testing for kidney disease, he added.&nbsp;&nbsp;

5,000 end-stage renal patients per annum

In the wake of a request for the public to consume electricity sparingly, the Electricity Consumers Association (ECA) has proposed generating nearly 300 MW of solar power on the country's key reservoirs, aiming to provide low-cost and uninterrupted electricity. Speaking to the media, the ECA’s General Secretary Sanjeewa Dhammika said that the project would utilise the Randenigala, Rantembe, and Victoria Reservoirs. He added that the project could be designed to use the existing hydropower network, eliminating the need to invest heavily in new transmission lines. "The project can be implemented through private investment without Government spending. Through that, the Government can reduce electricity bills and lower the United States Dollar outlay for fuel. When there are also sufficient battery systems installed, it will allow solar-generated electricity to be supplied at night for households and businesses," he said. Meanwhile, the National System Operators Private Limited Company and the Sustainable Energy Authority on Tuesday (24) stressed that there is no risk of disruption to the continuous power supply, but urged the public to use electricity economically and shift consumption away from peak hours (6 p.m. – 10 p.m.) to reduce fuel use. They encouraged consumers to shift activities such as washing clothes, charging electric vehicles, and operating appliances to daytime hours.&nbsp;

ECA proposes: Use reservoirs for solar generation 

<ul><li>CTU slams politicisation of the sector&nbsp;</li></ul> A letter issued by the Tangalle Zonal Education Director S.D. Kalyani to school principals seeking explanations over teachers’ non-attendance at a recent meeting attended by the Prime Minister and Education Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya has drawn criticism, with allegations the move amounts to politicising the education sector. The letter, dated 24 March, was issued by Kalyani to all principals in the Tangalle Education Zone. It refers to a teachers’ meeting held on 15 March at the Tangalle Town Hall, which was attended by the Premier.Through the letter, principals have been instructed to provide explanations before today (26) for the non-attendance of teachers at the said meeting, in line with a notice previously issued by the Tangalle Zonal Education Office. Reports circulated on social media in the recent past indicated there had been a notable lack of attendance of teachers at the said meeting.Speaking to The Daily Morning, Ceylon Teachers' Union (CTU) President Priyantha Fernando claimed that this move contradicted the National People's Power Government’s earlier pledge not to politicise the education sector. He alleged that the meeting in question was political in nature and had no relevance to the work of schools, teachers, or students. "State mechanisms had been used to organise this meeting. For instance, teachers and principals had been informed through official channels such as zonal education offices to attend the meeting. This meeting was political and unrelated to official duties. The authorities have no right to compel attendance or seek explanations for absence. The relevant Zonal Education Director should immediately withdraw this letter," he said.Kalyani was not available for comment.The Zonal Education Office of Tangalle has requested an explanation regarding the absence of teachers at a meeting held on 15 March at the Tangalle Urban Council, which was chaired by Dr. Amarasuriya. In this regard, Kalyani has sent a letter to all school principals. Accordingly, reasons for not attending the relevant meeting must be submitted before today.

Tangalle education zone: Teachers’ absence at PM meeting under scrutiny

<ul><li>Lack of sign language interpreters at hosp. counters</li><li>No ID card for persons with intellectual disabilities&nbsp;</li></ul> Persons with disabilities face issues in the context of the delivery of health services including the lack of sign language interpreters at hospital counters, difficulties faced due to high counters and surgical beds, the absence of toilets with commode facilities, privacy concerns caused by saloon-style doors in accessible toilets, and the lack of priority identification (ID) cards for persons with intellectual disabilities who find it difficult to wait in queues.These concerns were raised in an awareness programme on service delivery for persons with disabilities, held on 20 March, at the National Epilepsy Centre of the Colombo National Hospital.Deputy Health Minister Dr. Hansaka Wijemuni stated that disability should be viewed not only from a medical perspective but also from social and human rights perspectives. He noted that persons with disabilities still face numerous physical, communication, and attitudinal barriers when accessing healthcare services. He also highlighted the importance of providing health information in multiple accessible formats for persons with disabilities. He further stressed the importance of systematically sensitising healthcare staff to deliver services based on equality and dignity.The Chairperson of the Parliamentary Caucus for Persons with Disabilities, Sugath Wasantha de Silva pointed out that more than 1.6 million persons with disabilities in Sri Lanka still face physical and attitudinal barriers in accessing healthcare services. He emphasised that access to healthcare is a fundamental right linked to the right to life. He further proposed that a new perspective on disability, along with a specialised module, should be included in the curricula of medical and nursing colleges to ensure that future healthcare professionals are sensitised from the early stages of their training.Officials noted that steps are being taken to develop infrastructure under World Bank and Asian Development Bank assistance, including accessibility features such as ramps, accessible toilets, and dedicated pharmacy counters. It was also revealed that pilot “Support Centres” staffed with personnel trained in basic sign language are being planned for primary hospitals. It was proposed that persons with disabilities themselves should be employed at these Centres. Agreement was reached to take prompt follow-up action within the Health Ministry on practical recommendations related to staff sensitisation and the standardisation of infrastructure.

Health sector: Disabled persons face service issues

<ul><li>Trafficker’s Rs. 30 m assets frozen, include property in Col 14 and Ja-Ela, land, shops, houses, accounts&nbsp;</li><li>Prez-law enforcement stakeholders focus on expeditious drug destruction&nbsp;</li></ul> The owner of a pharmacy in Hatton Town was arrested by officers of the Hatton Divisional Anti-Corruption Unit for selling psychiatric medication to youth without valid medical prescriptions. The arrest followed a tip-off indicating that the suspect was targeting young people, selling these controlled substances at high prices. Acting on this information, officials coordinated an operation using an undercover Police officer to apprehend the individual. During the raid, authorities seized approximately 1,400 medicinal tablets that had been prepared for sale. The suspect was scheduled to be produced before the Hatton Magistrate’s Court.Assets worth over Rs. 30 million purchased using illegally earned money by a drug trafficker were frozen by court. The assets, acquired by the suspect using illicit earnings, include property located in Colombo 14 and Ja-Ela, land valued at over Rs. 51.4 million, four shops, a three-storey house, and six bank accounts with Rs. 5.9 million. Orders to freeze these assets have been extended and enforced by the Negombo and Colombo High Courts under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. Further investigations into the suspect revealed a luxury three-storey house worth Rs. 30 million located in Wellampitiya, believed to have been purchased with proceeds from drug trafficking. Meanwhile, an order has been issued to freeze this property for a period of seven days starting from 20 March.President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has emphasised the importance of expeditiously destroying seized drug stocks and underlined the need to establish a formal and efficient process to achieve this objective. A meeting was held on Tuesday (24) at the Presidential Secretariat between President Dissanayake and the committee appointed to amend legislation to remove legal obstacles to the swift destruction of seized narcotics. A draft Bill to amend the relevant legislation has already been prepared to expedite the process and discussions focused on further reducing the time required for the destruction of seized narcotics in line with the provisions of the draft Bill. Deliberations were also held on the practical challenges faced by the Judiciary, the Police and the Government Analyst’s (GA) Department. Deputy Solicitor General Suharshie Herath Jayaweera outlined the challenges encountered by the Attorney General’s Department in handling relevant cases. The importance of progressing the suggested legislative changes was emphasised, while also ensuring that drug traffickers are prosecuted effectively and preventing items in judicial custody from being reintegrated into society. Inspector General of Police, attorney Priyantha Weerasuriya briefed the meeting on the current status of judicial processes relating to seized narcotics and the measures taken by the Police to address existing challenges. The enhancement of facilities within the GA’s Department, in order to support the expedited implementation of this process, was also discussed. It was agreed to submit the proposed Bill, with necessary amendments, to the Cabinet of Ministers for approval as soon as possible, in order to eliminate legal impediments to the swift destruction of seized narcotics.

Drugs: Pharmacy owner selling drugs sans prescription nabbed 

The Jaffna Municipal Council (MC) has submitted a report to the Court of Appeal (CA) outlining the measures taken and those planned to reduce air pollution in the Jaffna Peninsula. The report was presented when a petition filed by a medical practitioner in Jaffna, Dr. Uma Sukhi Nadarajah, was taken up, requesting that a proper program be implemented to minimise air pollution in Jaffna. The petition was taken up on Tuesday (24) before a bench comprising the CA’s President, President’s Counsel and Justice Rohantha Abeysuriya, and Justice K. Priyantha Fernando,&nbsp;After reviewing the report, the bench instructed the respondents named in the petition — including the Central Environmental Authority and the Environment Minister — to provide the necessary support to the Jaffna MC in implementing the measures outlined in the report. The Judges emphasised that this should be treated as a matter of national importance and ordered the respondents to report progress to the Court on 14 July.Through the petition, filed via attorney Ravindranath Dabare, the petitioner stated that due to the failure of the Jaffna MC to implement a proper waste management system, garbage in the area is being burned, leading to severe air pollution. Accordingly, the petition seeks an order directing the relevant authorities, including the Jaffna MC, to establish a proper program to reduce air pollution in the area.

Air pollution:  Jaffna MC submits remedial report to Court 

The Welfare Benefits Board has issued a notice regarding the March allowance for senior citizens over 70 years of age under the first phase of the Aswesuma welfare benefit scheme. Accordingly, the relevant payments are scheduled to be made today (26). Accordingly, 622,462 senior citizens over the age of 70 will receive the allowance, with a total of Rs. 3.1 billion allocated. In addition, under the second phase, 71,339 senior citizens over 70 will receive a total of Rs. 356 million. These amounts will be credited to the respective beneficiaries’ accounts today. Beneficiaries will be able to access their Aswesuma benefit funds through their accounts starting from today.

Exams to be held as scheduled

Post-Ditwah recovery leaves Estates behind

Post-Ditwah recovery leaves Es ...

5,000 end-stage renal patients per annum

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ECA proposes: Use reservoirs for solar generation

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Health sector: Disabled persons face service issues

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Drugs: Pharmacy owner selling drugs sans prescription nabbed

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Air pollution: Jaffna MC submits remedial report to Court

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Snr. citizens March Aswesuma from today

Snr. citizens March Aswesuma ...

Post-Ditwah recovery leaves Estates behind

Post-Ditwah recovery leaves Es ...

5,000 end-stage renal patients per annum

5,000 end-stage renal patients ...

ECA proposes: Use reservoirs for solar generation

ECA proposes: Use reservoirs f ...

Tangalle education zone: Teachers’ absence at PM meeting under scrutin ...

Tangalle education zone: Teach ...

Health sector: Disabled persons face service issues

Health sector: Disabled person ...

Drugs: Pharmacy owner selling drugs sans prescription nabbed

Drugs: Pharmacy owner selling ...

Air pollution: Jaffna MC submits remedial report to Court

Air pollution: Jaffna MC subm ...

Snr. citizens March Aswesuma from today

Snr. citizens March Aswesuma ...

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Post-Ditwah recovery leaves Estates behind

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ECA proposes: Use reservoirs for solar generation

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Drugs: Pharmacy owner selling drugs sans prescription nabbed

Drugs: Pharmacy owner selling ...