News
Despite drop in rainfall several rivers in spate
by Ifham Nizam
There had been a decrease in rainfall yesterday in most parts of the country, but water levels in Kelani Ganga -Hanwella area, Kuda Ganga, Maha Ganga and Attangala Oya were still rising, Irrigation Department Disaster Management and Director Hydrology, Eng. S.P.C. Sugeeshwara said.
The Disaster Management Centre said that nearly 1,500 people had been affected due to floods following torrential rains which wreaked havoc in eight districts.
Some 1,200 people families in the Sabaragamuwa, Uva, North Central, Eastern, North Eastern, Central and Western Provinces have been rendered destitute.
Three people were injured in Ratnapura and Kurunegala districts due to floods.
About 100 houses were partially damaged and two houses were destroyed by floods.
Minor floods were reported from several areas across the country.
Water levels of the Kelani, Kalu, Gin, Nilwala, and Mahaweli rivers and also Maha Oya and Attanagalu Oya have risen, the Department of Irrigation said.
The Irrigation Department has warned that there is a high risk of severe floods as the upstream catchment areas of the Maha Oya basin have received heavy rainfall.
The low-lying areas of the Maha Oya valley in the Divisional Secretariat Divisions of Alawwa, Divulapitiya, Mirigama, Pannala, Wennappuwa, Negombo, Katana, Narammala and Dankotuwa have experienced minor flood conditions, says the Irrigation Department, warning that severe floods may occur in the said areas.
The National Building Research Organization (NBRO) has said that there is a risk of landslides in 41 regional secretariat divisions in eight districts.
The Department of Meteorology yesterday said that showers would occur at times in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, and North-Western provinces and Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Galle, and Matara districts.
Fairly heavy showers above 50mm may occur at some places in Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and Kandy, Nuwara-Eliya, Galle, and Matara districts.
Several spells of showers may occur in the Northern and North-central provinces.
Showers or thundershowers may occur at a few places in Uva and Eastern province during the evening or night.
Landslide risk notices have been issued to 41 Divisional Secretariat divisions in Colombo, Kalutara, Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala, Matale, Nuwara Eliya, and Ratnapura Districts. Red notices have been issued to 11divisional secretariat divisions in five districts–– Ududumbara in the Kandy District, Rambukkana, Ruwanwella Yatiyantota, Bulathkohupitiya and Mawanella in the Kegalle District, Mallawapitiya in Kurunegala district, Ambagamuwa in the Nuwara Eliya District and Kuruwita and Kalawana in the RatnapuraDistrict. In addition to this, a second level landslide warning has been issued to the divisional secretariat divisions of six other districts.
Meanwhile, the water level of the catchment areas of the Kelani river basin has risen due to continuous rainfall.
The Irrigation Department has cautioned that minor floods may occur in low-lying areas of the Divisional Secretariat areas of Dehiowita, Seethawaka, Deraniyagala, Dompe, Avissawella, Hanwella, Kaduwela, Biyagama, Kolonnawa, Colombo and Wattala.
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
