News
Inclement weather snuffs out 15 lives
By Ifham Nizam
Fifteen deaths were reported due to inclement weather in 15 districts on Monday and Tuesday. More than 28,263 people belonging to 7,529 families have been badly affected by floods and earth slips.
According to the Disaster Management Centre’s latest count, 802 houses have been damaged and 12 houses destroyed. More than 113 families are sheltered at welfare centres, and 357 families are staying with their relatives.
Five deaths were caused by drowning. Fiver persons were killed by earth slips. Two victims were electrocuted. The DMC has said that unlike on previous occasions, earth slips are reported from many parts of the country.
The Meteorology Department says a low-pressure area has formed in the south-east Bay of Bengal and is likely to intensify into a depression during next 36 hours and move West-Northwestwards towards North Tamil Nadu, closer to the North coast of Sri Lanka.
Torrential rains also disrupted electricity network countrywide affecting 240,000 families. Kurunegala and Puttalam were badly affected. Engineers at the first coal fired power plant complex at Norochcholai said that functioning with greatest of difficulties while one of its three plants were stopped for routine maintenance.
DMC’s Deputy Director Pradeep Kodippili yesterday said that 78 divisional secretariat divisions in 16 districts had been affected by the inclement weather.
The Meteorology Department warned that heavy rains above 150 mm could be expected in parts of Northern, North-western, Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Anuradhapura, Trincomalee, Nuwara-Eliya and Kandy districts today.
Meanwhile, the Irrigation Department issued a ‘Red’ alert for major floods in the low-lying areas of Maha Oya River Basin as the water levels had gone up extensively.
Irrigation Department (Hydrology) Director Eng. S.P.C. Sugeeshwara said the water level at Giriulla River Gauging Station has reached 8.94 metres.
Thus, people living in low-lying areas of Maha Oya Valley located in Alawwa, Divulapitiya, Mirigama, Pannala, Wennappuwa, Negombo, Katana, Narammala and Dankotuwa Divisional Secretariat Divisions were urged to be vigilant of a major flood situation.
A mother (35) and two daughters, aged 08 and 14, were reported dead. The father was admitted to Rambukkana Hospital and was later transferred to Kegalle Hospital for further treatment.
In another development, a young female died after a house was damaged in an earth slip in the area of Wennoruwa, Narammala Monday night. However, her mother and her brother escaped unharmed.
The deceased was identified as a 23-year-old nurse who was employed at a private hospital in Colombo. She was rushed to the Narammala Hospital, but she succumbed to injuries on admission to the hospital.
Meanwhile, Navy relief teams rescued 71 individuals trapped in floods following heavy downpour at Palaviya in Kalpitiya in the Puttalam district on Monday night
Navy has also deployed 10 relief teams at Paragoda in Kalutara, New Town, Ratnapura, Udamalaththa in Galle, Palaviya, Wanathawilluwa, Karambe in Puttalam, Giriulla in Kurunegala and Rajanganaya in Anuradhapura, covering the Western, Southern, North Central Northwestern and Sabaragamuwa provinces to provide relief to the people hit by adverse weather.
The Navy has kept 60 more flood relief teams ready in the Western, Southern, Northwestern, and North Central Naval Areas for deployment at short notice.
There can be very heavy showers or thundershowers, strong winds up to 60-70 kmph associated with rough seas around the Island.
Naval and fishing communities are advised not to venture the South-west Bay of Bengal sea area and deep and shallow sea areas around the Island (mentioned in the map below) until further notice.
Those who are in aforementioned sea regions are advised to return to coasts or move to safer areas as soon as possible, the Met. Department warned.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
