<ul><li>Indian Ocean partners to shore up food stocks</li><li>National cultivation plan to begin before 15 Oct. to safeguard domestic supply</li><li>Food security will not be a problem until Dec.: Minister</li></ul> Sri Lanka has initiated high-level inquiries and discussions with international partners including India to secure essential food supplies and safeguard national food security as El Niño conditions are expected to strengthen in the coming months.This, as the risk of adverse weather impacting crop seasons and leading to flooding raises concerns about food security in the coming months.&nbsp;&nbsp;Environment Minister Dr. Dammika Patabendi, who is also the Chairman of the Special Cabinet Subcommittee examining measures to be taken in response to El Niño conditions, told The Sunday Morning that discussions had been held directly with the Indian Environment Minister to address commodity supply and agricultural cooperation.&nbsp;“We have made inquiries regarding these food items with other countries,” he said. “For example, we discussed these matters directly with the Indian Environment Minister during my meeting with him on Friday (18).”&nbsp;The diplomatic inquiries include key essential commodities such as sprats.Patabendi noted that these engagements complemented ongoing imports of essential commodities such as onions and potatoes, where harvesting and cultivation in supplying countries remained unaffected.&nbsp;“Currently, we are importing items like onions and potatoes, but there is no significant issue at present affecting harvesting or cultivation in the supplying countries,” he said, adding that national food security would remain stable through the end of the year.&nbsp;“This will not be a problem for us until December. Food security will not be compromised until that point,” he said, noting that a full evaluation for the period after December had not yet been finalised.To complement international supply chains, the Government has simultaneously launched a national agricultural plan directing relevant institutions to begin the first phase of crop and vegetable cultivation before 15 October.&nbsp;“We have prepared a plan for the vegetables and crops that our country needs to produce and we are informing relevant institutions through official channels about the exact timelines to begin cultivation,” Patabendi said, stressing that initiating cultivation before 15 October would enable Sri Lanka to maintain domestic food production.Department of Agriculture Director General Dr. Thushara Wickramaarachchi, in response to a query raised by The Sunday Morning during a media workshop held last week, regarding response strategies should food shortages arise, said that there was active international coordination with key partner nations to manage food security and mitigate potential supply shortages.Sri Lanka relies on several primary partner nations for essential supplies, including India, Pakistan, Thailand, Canada, and Australia. Dr. Wickramaarachchi said that authorities were closely monitoring conditions within these supplier countries, noting that commodities such as lentils were imported from Canada and Australia.&nbsp;The Food Security Committee at the Presidential Secretariat meets twice a month to evaluate risks originating from foreign countries, maintaining oversight of four key commodities: dhal (lentils), sprats, potatoes, and onions.Furthermore, Mahaweli Authority Water Management Secretariat Director Engineer Nilantha Dhanapala said that in order to protect water reserves and guarantee harvest stability during climatic shifts, the operational priority involved advancing the seasonal cultivation calendar so that farming communities could rely on direct monsoon precipitation and conserve reservoir water for drier months.&nbsp;He cited advancing cultivation schedules by a month and a half in the Walawe system and by one month in the Kala Wewa system as having successfully preserved reservoir levels and protected yields. He added that, due to growing awareness, farmer organisations now proactively requested earlier seasonal water allocations, seeking water by late September rather than October in order to maximise early monsoon rainfall.According to the World Meteorological Organization, El Niño is expected to persist through to February 2027 and strengthen to very strong intensity by year-end.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has forecast a sequence of below-normal rainfall through the current monsoon season followed by above-normal rainfall from October, raising the risk of both drought and subsequent flooding, with implications for the forthcoming Maha and Yala cultivation seasons.&nbsp;The FAO has further cautioned that Sri Lanka lacks an adequate buffer against the failure of a major season, warning that a significant loss of Maha or Yala production could quickly drive up rice prices and import requirements, compounding pressures already placed on food security by elevated fuel, fertiliser, and transport costs.

El Niño preparedness: Sri Lanka steps up talks with India 

Sri Lanka’s doctor shortage could worsen as medical professionals continue to seek opportunities overseas despite tighter migration restrictions in key destinations such as the UK and Australia, the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) has stated.&nbsp;Speaking to The Sunday Morning, GMOA Assistant Secretary Dr. Hansamal Weerasuriya warned&nbsp; that doctors were increasingly pursuing alternative destinations, including Australia, Canada, Middle Eastern countries, and some Schengen countries, as opportunities and requirements in individual countries changed.&nbsp;“The UK is not the only destination. There are alternative pathways that doctors of Sri Lanka can access given their knowledge and skills,” he said when asked whether tighter UK limitations on international medical graduates could reduce the migration of Sri Lankan doctors.Dr. Weerasuriya further noted that there was an increasing number of doctors sitting for overseas licensing examinations.&nbsp;“The number of doctors sitting for entrance and licensing exams has increased significantly, making these exams more competitive as more doctors choose these options. If you look at Australian journals, there are many applicants from Asian countries, especially Sri Lanka. The number of doctors obtaining international qualifications is increasing,” he said.&nbsp;According to official figures cited in a 2023 report on the brain drain of doctors in Sri Lanka, 4,284 doctors obtained Certificates of Good Standing from the Sri Lanka Medical Council for the purpose of migration.&nbsp;Dr. Weerasuriya pointed out remuneration and working conditions as the key push factors driving doctors to seek opportunities overseas. He said that doctors were facing inadequate salaries as well as reductions in some benefits and payments.&nbsp;“Salaries are inadequate, which is the main issue faced by doctors at the moment. When compared to countries like the UK, Australia, or even Middle Eastern countries such Oman and the UAE, doctors in Sri Lanka earn significantly less. These countries are therefore in a much better position to welcome Sri Lankan doctors given their skills and abilities. There are many push and pull factors involved in the process of doctors migrating,” he said.&nbsp;The GMOA Assistant Secretary also pointed to withdrawal of the duty-free concessionary vehicle permit previously granted to doctors, which he claimed had further decreased the perks of Government service. He stated that doctors were only paid two-thirds of extra-duty and public holiday payments, with the other one-third withheld.&nbsp;Dr. Weerasuriya also identified inadequate doctor accommodation and facilities as a barrier to continued employment. He said that some doctors, including those working on call, did not have proper quarters or even adequate bathroom facilities.&nbsp;“We do not even have proper quarters or proper on-call rooms in Sri Lanka. Some doctors do not even have a washroom facility in the on-call room,” he said.&nbsp;At the same time, he said that overseas destinations offered substantially higher remuneration and better working conditions. Australia, the UK, and Middle Eastern countries are among the main destinations identified by the GMOA.&nbsp;“If the British Government tightens its migration policies, a majority of these doctors could face a significant problem in accessing the UK in order to complete their foreign training,” he said, adding that the Government would need to engage diplomatically with countries where Sri Lankan postgraduate trainees were required to obtain overseas clinical experience.&nbsp;However, for doctors seeking employment rather than mandatory overseas training, he said that alternative destinations remained available. Therefore, he stated that restrictions in one country were unlikely to eliminate the underlying incentive to leave Sri Lanka.&nbsp;Dr. Weerasuriya also noted that doctors facing difficulties with overseas migration could turn to Sri Lanka’s private healthcare sector, where some organisations offered substantially higher remuneration.&nbsp;“They can resign from the Government sector and join the private sector instead. In certain private organisations, doctors are eligible to receive two to three times the salary paid to their counterparts in the Government sector,” he said, noting that this remained another alternative for doctors seeking better remuneration without leaving the country.&nbsp;Meanwhile, according to a special audit report released in September 2025 regarding the amounts due to the Government from medical officers who left Government service as well as the appointment of specialist doctors who received foreign training, an amount of Rs. 1,277 million remains uncollected from contractual bonds, fines, and salary overpayments, which remain outstanding from medical officers who violated their service agreements or deserted their posts.&nbsp;Based on official audit findings as of 31 October 2024, the Government has failed to recover Rs. 1,156,562,119 from 705 doctors who breached foreign study leave and training agreements.Attempts to contact the Minister of Health, Deputy Minister, Ministry Secretary, and Director General of Health Services for comments were unsuccessful.

Doctor shortage set to worsen: GMOA

<ul><li>NSO refers tariff issue for policy-level decision</li><li>Competitive bids to establish market price&nbsp;</li><li>Ministry warns against locking in costly 15-year tariff</li></ul>&nbsp;The proposed Feed-in Tariff (FIT) for Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) has been referred for a policy-level decision, with the Ministry of Energy warning that locking Sri Lanka into a high tariff for 15 years before competitive bidding establishes a market price could ultimately make battery storage costlier than diesel-fired generation.&nbsp;Ministry of Energy Secretary G.M.R.D. Aponsu told The Sunday Morning that the BESS tariff proposed by the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) should be considered alongside prices emerging through competitive procurement.&nbsp;He said that competitive bidding would provide a clearer indication of the market price for battery storage, which could then be used as a benchmark in determining an appropriate FIT.&nbsp;“If we give a higher FIT now and sign agreements for 15 years, it could ultimately become more expensive than diesel,” Aponsu claimed.&nbsp;According to him, the Government therefore intends to establish a competitive market price for BESS before committing to long-term fixed tariffs.&nbsp;As a result, rooftop solar projects linked to battery storage are being kept towards the latter stages of the programme, allowing the authorities to first monitor the prices emerging from competitively bid BESS projects.&nbsp;Aponsu said that the intention was to avoid fixing a long-term FIT before there was sufficient evidence from the competitive market to determine the actual cost of battery storage.The issue has also raised a policy question over the capacity threshold at which BESS projects should move from a FIT mechanism to competitive bidding.According to Aponsu, the National System Operator (NSO) has referred the matter for a policy-level decision to determine whether competitive bidding should apply to projects above 10 MW, 5 MW, or even 3 MW.&nbsp;The final threshold would therefore determine which projects could qualify for a Feed-in Tariff and which would have to be procured competitively.&nbsp;“We want to delay giving the FIT. The price should be taken from the competitive market,” Aponsu stated.&nbsp;Against such a backdrop, the Secretary said that four private companies were undertaking 160 MW BESS projects at present, with one project launched last week and the remaining projects expected to be launched shortly.&nbsp;Technical evaluations have already been completed for some of the projects, while the remaining procurement and implementation processes are continuing.&nbsp;The BESS facilities will not generate electricity themselves but will store electricity produced during periods of excess supply and release it when required by the grid.&nbsp;Aponsu said that the projects would particularly assist subgrids where increasing solar generation had resulted in renewable energy curtailment. Battery storage would allow excess solar electricity that cannot immediately be absorbed by the grid to be stored and supplied later when demand increases.&nbsp;The projects are expected to progress towards implementation by May next year.&nbsp;Aponsu stated that competitive procurement allowed authorities to assess battery quality alongside price, rather than awarding projects solely on the basis of a predetermined tariff.&nbsp;“When we conduct competitive tenders, we have already included the quality measures. We have asked for specifications for the cells, so we are directly involved with quality,” he said.&nbsp;He further noted that under a standard tariff mechanism, without detailed technical requirements, sufficient attention may not be paid to the quality of the battery cells used by developers. The Government is therefore working on technical guidelines and quality standards for BESS while the competitive procurement process continues.&nbsp;In July, the PUCSL proposed tariffs covering rooftop solar integrated with BESS, standalone BESS, and renewable power plants equipped with battery storage.&nbsp;Under the proposal, rooftop solar projects integrated with batteries could receive between Rs. 41.56 and Rs. 66.53 per unit during the prioritised evening feed-in period from 5.30 p.m. to 9.30 p.m., depending on system size.&nbsp;Standalone BESS projects were proposed with tariffs ranging from Rs. 30.83 to Rs. 50.01 per unit, in addition to a charging component linked to the applicable daytime electricity tariff.&nbsp;As previously reported by The Sunday Morning, a 10 MW BESS project competitively tendered by the NSO had attracted bids of around Rs. 20 per unit – substantially below some of the rates proposed under the FIT mechanism.&nbsp;It is against this price difference that the ministry is seeking to observe the outcome of further competitive tenders before deciding on a long-term FIT.&nbsp;Meanwhile, the Government is preparing a separate programme targeting large industrial rooftop solar producers currently affected by renewable energy curtailment.&nbsp;Around 480 industrial operators also have ground-mounted solar installations, while a further 150 MW of ground-mounted solar capacity is expected to be procured through competitive bidding, with individual projects limited to around 1 MW.&nbsp;The Government is separately moving to expand private sector participation in floating solar power. Aponsu said that around 10 floating solar projects were being worked on at present, including a 50 MW project. Several projects are undergoing environmental clearance, with Request for Proposals (RFPs) expected to be called once the required approvals are obtained.

Feed-in Tariff for BESS: Rooftop solar battery plans in limbo over high costs?

<ul><li>Private suppliers claim diesel losses of up to Rs. 163/litre</li><li>Brent at $ 103; WTI above $ 101</li><li>CPC refinery profits cushion diesel losses</li></ul> Sri Lanka will hold off on an immediate fuel price revision despite global crude oil prices remaining above $ 100 per barrel and regional countries moving to raise prices, subsidise consumers, and conserve fuel in response to renewed Middle East tensions, the Ministry of Energy reveals.&nbsp;Ministry of Energy Secretary G.M.R.D. Aponsu told The Sunday Morning that there was no immediate requirement to revise domestic fuel prices, as Sri Lanka had gradually adjusted prices since the Middle East crisis began several months ago.However, he said that prevailing international prices would be taken into account when fuel prices were assessed at the upcoming regular monthly review.The Government’s position comes as Brent crude remained above $ 100 per barrel on Friday (18), despite easing from recent highs.Brent crude fell $ 1.65 to $ 103.17 per barrel on Friday, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) declined by $ 0.61 to $ 101.30 per barrel. Brent was heading for a weekly decline of around 1.4%, its first weekly fall in three weeks.Nevertheless, international oil markets remain volatile as the Middle East conflict continues to threaten major oil-producing and shipping routes.Prices had risen earlier in the week following disruptions to Saudi Arabian crude exports through its Red Sea facilities. Supply concerns subsequently eased as Saudi Arabia moved additional crude through alternative routes, including ship-to-ship transfers off Oman.Despite the latest decline, Brent remains substantially higher than at the beginning of the year, reflecting the impact of the Middle East conflict on international energy markets.Sri Lanka’s decision to wait until its regular pricing review contrasts with more immediate interventions elsewhere in South Asia.Pakistan has repeatedly raised fuel prices in recent days as international oil prices increased. On Monday (14), petrol was increased by PKR 4.42 per litre and high-speed diesel by PKR 6.10. This followed an earlier increase on 11 September of PKR 5.02 per litre for petrol and PKR 5.28 for diesel.Pakistan subsequently moved to more frequent fuel price adjustments. Its latest revision for Friday reduced petrol by PKR 0.43 to PKR 390.79 per litre but increased high-speed diesel by PKR 3.47 to PKR 424.92 per litre.The Pakistani Government has simultaneously introduced a targeted subsidy of PKR 100 per litre for motorcycles, rickshaws, and small cars, subject to consumption limits, in order to cushion lower-income consumers from the surge in prices.It has also reintroduced austerity measures to conserve fuel, including a 50% reduction in fuel allocations for official vehicles, restrictions on foreign travel by Government officials, and a ban on the purchase of new State vehicles. Markets have also been ordered to close by 9 p.m.Bangladesh, meanwhile, has chosen to hold domestic fuel prices unchanged for September, marking the fourth consecutive month without a revision. Diesel remains at Tk 115 per litre, petrol at Tk 140, octane at Tk 145, and kerosene at Tk 135.However, Bangladesh has been particularly exposed to the regional energy shock. The country currently faces gas demand of around 107–113 million cubic metres per day against available supply of only around 74 million cubic metres, while Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) imports fell by 83% between July and August amid disruptions linked to the Middle East conflict.India has also intervened in its fuel market, although its latest measures have focused partly on ensuring domestic availability. From Wednesday (16), New Delhi reduced its export levy on petrol by INR 1 per litre, diesel by INR 5, and aviation turbine fuel by INR 4. Export duties had initially been introduced in March to discourage exports and safeguard domestic supplies during the West Asian crisis.Against this volatile regional backdrop, Aponsu said that Sri Lanka had already absorbed global price movements through gradual adjustments to domestic fuel prices since the crisis began, reducing the need for an immediate revision.He said that the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) adjusted prices through the monthly pricing mechanism, while the other major players – Lanka IOC (LIOC), Sinopec, and RM Parks – generally adjusted their retail prices in line with the CPC.Aponsu added that the CPC was currently not recording an overall operational loss, with earnings from refinery operations helping offset pressure from the higher cost of imported petroleum products.However, diesel remains a pressure point in the domestic market.The CPC has acknowledged losses on diesel, although profits generated by its refinery operations have allowed the State-owned supplier to absorb them. Private retailers do not have the same refinery income available to offset losses.The Government had earlier provided a Rs. 100 per litre subsidy on diesel as international prices surged, but the subsidy was discontinued in July.The Government is now considering several options to deal with continued international price pressure, including renewed subsidies, upper and lower price limits for private suppliers, or a revision of retail fuel prices.For now, however, Aponsu said that there was no requirement for an immediate intervention, with the impact of global oil market movements to be assessed at Sri Lanka’s next scheduled monthly fuel price review.Meanwhile, as reported last week, private fuel suppliers – LIOC, Sinopec, and RM Parks – have sought an increase in diesel prices, citing mounting losses due to higher international fuel prices and import-related costs.Figures submitted to the Energy Ministry reportedly indicate that LIOC claims to be losing around Rs. 141 per litre of diesel, while RM Parks and Sinopec have reported losses of around Rs. 160 and Rs. 163 per litre, respectively.

$ 100 oil shock: Sri Lanka holds fuel prices 

The Government’s proposed replacement for the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) has been sent to be gazetted, clearing the way for the bill to be presented in Parliament, according to Justice and National Integration Minister Harshana Nanayakkara.“It has been sent to the gazette and should be gazetted tomorrow or the day after,” Nanayakkara said on Friday (18) when contacted by The Sunday Morning.The proposed Protection of the State from Terrorism Bill is intended to replace the much criticised Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act No.48 of 1979. Sri Lanka has also given undertakings to international bodies such as the United Nations and the European Union to repeal or replace the PTA.Cabinet granted policy approval on 10 August for the introduction of the new legislation. The bill, prepared by the Legal Draftsman, subsequently received clearance from the Attorney General, while Cabinet later approved its publication in the gazette and presentation to Parliament.Once gazetted, the bill is to be presented to Parliament for approval.The move comes amid long-standing domestic and international calls for the repeal of the PTA, particularly over concerns surrounding its arrest and detention provisions.Nanayakkara has previously stated that the Government intends to repeal the PTA by the end of 2026.

PTA: Govt. moves ahead with new anti-terror law 

<ul><li>Safety assured under normal flood conditions: RDA&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>27 bridges set for reconstruction</li></ul>Bridges damaged during Cyclone Ditwah and later reopened to traffic are capable of withstanding normal rainfall and flooding conditions, according to the Road Development Authority (RDA).&nbsp;The RDA said that bridges were generally designed to withstand such conditions for around 100 years.RDA Director General H.H.N.A. Hettiarachchi told The Sunday Morning that all but one of the bridges damaged during Cyclone Ditwah had been reopened, with work on the remaining Moragahakanda Bridge expected to commence shortly.“Except for one, all other bridges have been reopened. Work on the remaining bridge – the Moragahakanda Bridge – will begin on Sunday (20),” he said.Asked whether the reopened bridges could withstand the expected rainfall and weather conditions, Hettiarachchi said that there were no concerns at present regarding their stability and that they were not expected to encounter problems under normal weather and flooding conditions.“There is no issue with the bridges at present, unless we experience an extreme event like Cyclone Ditwah. Normally, bridges are designed to endure for a period of around 100 years, whereas an event like Ditwah is a once-in-a-thousand-year occurrence. If something abnormal like that takes place, we cannot guarantee that nothing will happen. Under normal flooding conditions, however, there should be no issue,” he said.RDA Additional Director General – Engineering Services Vasantha Kumar said that 14 bridges were being addressed under a financial grant, while a further 13 bridges were undergoing permanent reconstruction under Indian grant aid.&nbsp;&nbsp;He added that India had also provided Bailey bridges under a $ 5 million component to serve as temporary structures at locations where bridges had been damaged.“Following Cyclone Ditwah, we made several bridge locations temporarily passable by using Indian Bailey bridges. Some of these bridges will eventually be replaced by permanent bridges,” Kumar said.He noted that most of the locations where Bailey bridges had been installed were on roads that did not fall under the RDA.“Except for one or two temporary bridges, all others were constructed on non-RDA roads,” Kumar said.With the country entering another period of potentially unsettled weather, the RDA’s position is that the bridges currently in use can withstand normal rainfall and flooding.

El Niño: Repaired bridges vulnerable to extreme weather?

The Agricultural and Agrarian Insurance Board has commenced issuing compensation payments to farmers affected by recent El Niño drought conditions, according to Director General I.U.K. Kaluarachchi.Speaking to The Sunday Morning, Kaluarachchi said that payments had commenced on 4 September, with compensation having been disbursed to 3,000 farmers so far and additional payments being processed on an ongoing basis.&nbsp;Damage claims covering approximately 8,500 acres of farmland have been submitted nationwide, with paddy accounting for the vast majority of damaged crops.“Compensation is calculated at Rs. 40,000 per acre or Rs. 100,000 per hectare. To address climate-related damages, the Government allocated Rs. 3 billion in this year’s Budget. That amount is sufficient to cover both cultivation seasons,” Kaluarachchi said.The Agricultural and Agrarian Insurance Board provides compensation for six primary crops: paddy, maize, chilli, potato, big onion, and soya.Kaluarachchi said that overall agricultural destruction was significantly lower than initially feared. Since the dry weather set in near the end of the Yala season, non-paddy crops have suffered minimal impact, resulting in few compensation requests for crops other than rice.Geographically, the highest volume of compensation claims originated from the Anuradhapura District, followed by Polonnaruwa.Looking ahead to the upcoming Maha season, Kaluarachchi said that farmers would be advised to complete their crop planting before 15 October. Early planting will ensure crops reach sufficient height and resilience ahead of heavy rains expected in November as a result of El Niño.Meanwhile, Department of Agriculture Director General Dr. Thushara Wickramaarachchi said the department’s digital tracking systems had played a central role in verifying crop damage claims. He made these remarks in response to a question raised during a media workshop on Tuesday (15).Dr. Wickramaarachchi said that when farmers filled out paper registers following weather events, there was an automatic tendency to over-report total crop destruction. However, through the department’s CROPIX digital tracking system, officers verified ground conditions and determined that total crop loss was actually less than that. As a result, the Agricultural Insurance Board issues compensation based on verified officer inspections and database findings rather than unverified paper entries.&nbsp;He added that in order to forecast El Niño impacts and seasonal rainfall, the Department of Meteorology and Mahaweli authorities analysed historical data spanning 20–30 years. This multi-year database allows experts to model anomalies and map specific regional pockets, such as Mannar, Anuradhapura, and Polonnaruwa, that will experience localised rainfall shifts.Addressing the current state of inter-agency data systems, Dr. Wickramaarachchi acknowledged that “data still needs to be specifically matched” across different bodies. Despite this ongoing need to align datasets, he said that institutions were reaching “common decisions and consensus in a way never seen in past periods”.Multiple State agencies are now actively negotiating key resource allocations, such as Mahaweli water distribution schedules, to arrive at mutually agreed outcomes.

Drought compensation for 3,000 farmers 

<ul><li>MP Rasamanickam demands answers on Foreign Ministry’s handling of appeal&nbsp;</li></ul> A Saudi Arabian appellate court has sentenced Sivarasa Anojan, a Sri Lankan Tamil migrant worker from Kalmunai, to death on a charge of blasphemy.&nbsp;Anojan, who is from Natpiddimunai, Kalmunai in the Ampara District, had earlier been fined three million Saudi Riyals under the original judgment handed down by the Criminal Court in Al-Ahsa, which had sentenced him to five years’ imprisonment. The death sentence was imposed on Thursday (17) following a decision on his appeal, according to the family.The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism, in a press release on Friday (18), said that it had been closely following Anojan’s case and was continuing to monitor developments through the Sri Lankan Embassy in Riyadh, in coordination with the Saudi Embassy in Colombo. The ministry said it remained engaged with Saudi authorities through diplomatic channels and was taking steps to safeguard Anojan’s interests. However, the release did not refer to the death sentence.The prosecution reportedly stemmed from an online dispute that began during this year’s Pada Yatra, the annual Hindu pilgrimage to Kataragama, after a stray dog that had accompanied pilgrims for hundreds of kilometres and was named Subramaniam by devotees became a social media sensation.&nbsp;A video showing a young Muslim man kicking the dog in Kalmunai triggered widespread anger and his arrest, before he was released on bail. The incident escalated into a heated social media exchange marked by inflammatory comments directed at different religious communities.&nbsp;According to Anojan’s family, a Facebook comment he posted during this period was subsequently brought to the attention of Saudi authorities and formed the basis of the charge against him.Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK) Parliamentary Group Leader and Batticaloa District MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam called for immediate intervention by the Government at the highest diplomatic level to protect Anojan’s life, and said he planned to raise the matter in Parliament.According to Rasamanickam, the ministry’s Consular Affairs Division had informed the family that an appeal could be filed within 30 days of the original sentencing. However, legal advice obtained by the Sri Lankan Embassy in Riyadh had assessed the prospects of a successful appeal, or a reduction of the sentence, as extremely low.The family paid Rs. 1,890,766 in legal fees, as requested, into an account identified with the Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Ministry documents show the Memorandum of Appeal was filed on 24 August, although the ministry’s letter forwarding the appeal to the family is dated 16 September, a discrepancy the family says contradicts their earlier request for the appeal to be filed.&nbsp;The appeal names Attorney Adlan Abdullah Al-Subaie as counsel. However, Rasamanickam, citing the family, said a different lawyer had appeared in court and that the family had not been given that lawyer’s identity or contact details.&nbsp;Rasamanickam said he intended to ask in Parliament why the family was advised to appeal despite the embassy’s own assessment of low prospects, what risk assessment was made, who selected the lawyer who appeared in court, why the appeal and lawyer’s details were withheld from the family before judgment, how the legal fees were disbursed, and what oversight the ministry and embassy exercised.&nbsp;He said he would also ask whether the Government considered there had been a failure in the consular and diplomatic handling of the case.“A Sri Lankan citizen’s life is reportedly at stake,” Rasamanickam said. “Every available legal, diplomatic, consular, and humanitarian avenue must now be pursued.”&nbsp;On Friday (18), Anojan’s family released a video appealing to the authorities to intervene on his behalf.&nbsp;

Saudi blasphemy laws: Saudi court sentences Lankan to death  

Sri Lanka has recorded 75 dengue-related deaths and 98,616 dengue cases so far this year, according to the National Dengue Control Unit. The Western Province accounts for 52.62% of the reported cases, with Gampaha recording the highest number at 20,917, followed by Colombo with 19,435. July recorded the highest monthly total with 29,964 cases, while 3,125 cases have been reported so far in September. Health authorities have identified 34 MOH areas as high-risk zones and urged the public to eliminate mosquito breeding sites and maintain clean surroundings.

El Niño preparedness: Sri Lanka steps up talks with India

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