News
Coconut Leaf Wilt Disease could be controlled through collaboration
by PRIYAN DE SILVA
Coconut plantations in the Southern Province are still plagued by the Weligama Coconut Leaf Wilt Disease (WCLWD) although 14 years have elapsed since it was first detected. Over 340,000 coconut palms have been infected and more than 313,000 of them cut down and destroyed.
Dr Nayani Arachchige Deputy Director (Research) at the Coconut Research Institute (CRI) Lunuwila said that the CRI together with Coconut Cultivation Board (CCB) and other related stake holders including law enforcement authorities had managed to confine the disease to the Southern Province and if the coconut growers and the community on the whole were more cooperative the disease could be controlled sooner.
The Weligama coconut leaf wilt disease is caused by phytoplasma and transmitted by infective insect vectors, vegetative propagation or grafting of infected planting material to healthy plants, by vascular connections made between infected and uninfected host plants by parasitic plants and by seed/embryo transmission.Once infected, a coconut palm will die within two years. There is no known cure and cutting down infected trees and incinerating the crowns is the only practical solution to arrest the spread of the disease.
Dr Arachchige said that at the initial stage of infection a coconut tree would bear profusely and growers have second thoughts about cutting down the affected tree even after they have been noticed to do so by the authorities. The delay causes greater harm as more trees in the vicinity are prone to infection and was one reason that containing the disease has taken so long.
The WCLWD was first detected in the Weligama area in 2008 but had spread from Galle to Tangalle. To prevent the disease spreading further the CRI demarcated a buffer zonethree kilometres wide on either side of the A17 trunk road from Galle running through Angulugaha, Henegama, Akuressa, Kamburupitiya, Kirinda – Puhulwella, Hakmana, Walasmulla , Beliatta and ending in Tangalle.
The Government, by gazette notification No. 1542/7 of 24 March 2008, prohibited the transport of any palm species and their live parts out of the demarcated boundary. Even though theprohibition was not strictly adhered to due to various restraints luckily the disease did not spread to other coconut growing areas.
The Matara District where WCLWD was first detected has borne the brunt of the disease. Figures obtained from the Coconut Cultivation Board shows that up to 30th September 2022, 313,857 diseased trees have been identified in the district of which 295,343 have been cut down by the growers or injected with by CCB officials. Growers who complied with the order given by the CCB authorities and cut down the diseased trees were paid Rupees Three Thousand per tree more as an initiative to cut and destroy the tree rather than compensationas the cost incurred by a grower to tend to a plant until it starts bearing and the loss of produce is very much more.
Due to WCLWD and other factors such as Grizzled Giant Squirrels and Toque macaque, the annual yield in the Matara District had dropped from 121 million nuts in 2011 to 96,1 million nuts in 2019 and to 73 million nuts in 2020.
Some growers have been compelled to destroy their whole plantation and plant alternate crops as regulation No 1 of 2009 gazetted in accordance with subsection 2 of chapter 12 of the Plant protection Act No 35 of 1999, prohibits planting any type of Palm trees in the areas where WCLWD has been detected.
According to the CCB WCLWD could be fully eradicated in the near future if the growers and general public were more cooperative and if the government would continue to provide adequate funds.
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
