Breaking News 148

COLOMBO (News 1st): Close to 50 houses in Kajimawatte, Grandpass were damaged following a fire that erupted at around 2:40 am on Monday (Mar. 15), Sri Lanka Police said.

Police suspect the fire had started with a lamp that was lit in one of the houses.

The fire has been brought under control.

According to the Colombo Fire Brigade, five (05) fire engines were deployed to douse the fire.

COLOMBO (News 1st): The Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) has decided to amend the Marine Pollution Prevention Act.

The act will be amended with the aim to curb the increasing rate of marine pollution, Dr. Turney Pradeep Kumara, the General Manager of the Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) told News 1st on Friday (Mar. 12).

“The new amendments will enable the law to be enforced immediately against those who cause any form of destruction to marine resources,” Dr. Turney Pradeep Kumara pointed out.

According to Dr. Turney Pradeep Kumara, an estimated 100 million kilograms of garbage is added to Sri Lanka’s coastal belt each year; of which, 70 percent is mixed with the ocean.

COLOMBO (News 1st): Legal action will be instituted against Estate Owners who fail to provide the increased Rs. 1000 daily wage for estate workers, the Department of Labour said.

The Estate Owners and Administrations that fail to provide the Rs. 1000 daily wage for estate workers as per the gazette notification issued in this regard will be charged; such estate owners could face a fine and six months imprisonment could also be imposed upon them, Prabhath Chandrakeerthi, the Commissioner-General of Labour told News 1st on Thursday (Mar. 11).

The daily wage of Estate Workers was increased to Rs. 1000 with effect from 5th March 2021 via a gazette, Chandrakeerthi noted.

COLOMBO (News 1st): The government has decided to re-call all public servants to work, as usual, starting from Monday (Mar. 08).

A special circular to this effect was issued on Friday (Mar. 05), bearing the signature of J.J. Ratnasiri, the Secretary to the Ministry of Public Services.

According to the Ministry of Public Services, the decision was reached as the time has come for the country to return to normalcy with the operation of public services properly.

COLOMBO (News 1st): Senior Veteran Journalist and Former Diplomat Bandula Jayasekera, passed away earlier on Friday morning (Mar. 05)

The late Mr. Jayasekara who was diagnosed with Myelodyplastic Syndrome Blood Cancer, underwent treatment and was 60-years of age at the time of his demise.

As a Diplomat, Mr. Jayasekara was a proud flag bearer for Sri Lanka serving in Canada, the USA and Australia.

As a Senior Journalist and broadcaster he continued to give a voice to the voiceless; Mr. Bandula Jayasekera was the host of News 1st’s “Pathikada” programme.

He also served as the Chief Editor of the Daily News.

A lifelong involvement in the print media and later as a broadcaster with the Capital Maharaja Group, Mr. Bandula Jayasekara enjoyed a role in public interest issues.

Colombo (News 1st); 24,374 people were given the vaccine for COVID-19 on Sunday (28), said the Epidemiology Unit of the Ministry of Health.

Accordingly, a total of 466,350 people have been jabbed with the vaccine since the 29th of January 2021, it added.