Breaking News 148

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka Navy detained 11 Indian fishermen and seized 3 Indian fishing boats for illegally entering the Sea of Sri Lanka on Monday (7) night.

Sri Lanka Navy Spokesperson Captain Indika De Silva told News 1st that the Indian poachers were detected in the Sea of Sri Lanka off Delft Island.

The detained fishermen will be handed over to the Jaffna District Fisheries Office for processing.

On Monday (7), 21 Indian fishermen who were previously detained were remanded to the 21st of February by the Point Pedro Magistrate’s Court.

Court granted permission to record statements from the Indian fishermen and also ordered for the 100 kg catch detected from their boats to be sold and the return be produced to the court.

21 Indian Fishermen Detained:

In a special operation conducted by Sri Lanka Navy and Coast Guard, 02 Indian trawlers with 21 Indian fishermen were held for poaching in Sri Lankan territorial waters, off Kovilan and Point Pedro Lighthouse, Jaffna on the night of 31st January 2022.

This special operation was mounted by deploying Fast Attack Craft of the 04th Fast Attack Flotilla in the Northern Naval Command, another Fast Patrol Boat of Sri Lanka Coast Guard and with the assistance of the Navy’s Special Boat Squadron.

The operation led to the apprehension of these 02 Indian trawlers with 21 Indian fishermen while poaching in Sri Lankan territorial waters on the night of 31st January.

As the Indian trawlers were attempting to evade naval units with their aggressive manoeuvres, they also caused damages to the SLN Fast Attack Craft.

The Navy also held several bottom trawling equipment and fish caught by this illegal fishing method from the seized fishing trawlers.

COLOMBO (News 1st): The families of 55 Indian fishermen have requested Indian officials to intervene and ensure their return as they have been released by Sri Lanka’s courts.

The fishermen were released by the Point Pedro Courts on the 25th of last month.

The Indian fishermen have been moved to the Iyakachchi camp in Kilinochchi after 48 of them had tested positive for COVID-19.

They would be sent to the Jaffna prison and then to the Mirihana camp after completing their quarantine period.

21 Indian fishermen who were arrested on the 1st of last month are to be produced at the Point Pedro Court tomorrow.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka’s Health Ministry has updated the guidelines on dealing with COVID-19 cases and their close contacts.

Thus, a person who has been fully vaccinated should not be subjected to home quarantine if they have no symptoms, even if they are Tier-One Close Contacts of an infected person.

They can carry out their daily activities according to the new normal lifestyle and a rapid antigen or PCR test is sufficient only if any symptoms occur.

Only the following groups are considered to have been fully vaccinated.

If you are over 20 years of age, you should have taken both doses and should have completed more than two weeks since the second dose. If one has passed over three months after taking the second dose, a booster dose is mandatory.

Also, according to the new guidelines, if you become infected after the second dose, a month’s gap from the date of infection is sufficient to receive the booster dose.

Children between the ages of 16-19 are considered to be fully vaccinated after obtaining both doses, and completing two weeks since the second dose.

Children between the ages of 12 and 15 are considered to be fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving one dose.

All those who are not fully vaccinated and are considered as Tier-One Close Contacts will be required to undergo home quarantine for 7 days and will be referred for testing if symptoms occur.

COLOMBO (News 1st); State Minister Prof. Channa Jayasumana says that more than five million people have been administered the Pfizer booster dose in Sri Lanka.

Health authorities have been encouraging the public to obtain the booster dose as to prevent another possible spike in COVID-19 cases in the country.

COLOMBO (News 1st): The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) has commenced discussions to integrate the power generated through stand-by generators owned by Private and Public sector institutions into the National Grid.

“The generators owned by Private and Public sector institutions are only used during power outages or sudden breakdowns. These generators are capable of generating around 2,000 MW of power, and given the prevailing crisis, these resources could be integrated into the National Grid to address the issue,” Janaka Ratnayake, the Chairman of the PUCSL told News 1st on Wednesday (Jan. 26).

According to Ratnayake, there are generators capable of generatin 60 MW of power at 10 locations in Colombo city, while the generator at the Hambantota Convention Centre could generate 5MW of power, which is sufficient to power the entire city of Hambantota.

Plans have been prepared to use the generators until the prevailing power crisis is resolved, PUCSL Chairman Janaka Ratnayake further noted.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) has taken steps to make recommendations to resolve the power crisis in the country.

Chairman of the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka, Janaka Ratnayake stated that the CEB has requested the PUCSL for permission for daily power cuts from the 25th of Januray until the 04th of February.

He noted in confidence that accordingly, there will not be a need for no long lasting power cuts in the future.

Presently, State and private sector companies are in possession of several 3,000 MW generators, he pointed out, adding that these generators could produce electricity which would assist the production of electricity in the country.

The PUCSL Chairman added discussions were carried out with the companies that own such generators, adding that private companies have agreed to provide their assistance to rectify the power crisis.