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Dredging of Tissa Wewa halted amidst protests by environmentalists

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By Ifham Nizam

 

Environmentalists yesterday welcomed Archaeology Director General Senior Professor Anura Manatunga’s intervention  to halt the removal of soil and mud from the Tissawewa at Tissamaharama, by a Chinese company

Social Scientist and  environmentalist Dr Ravindra Kariyawasam  told The Island that be it an American or Chinese company, they were here for a reason and they were least concerned about local ecosystems or archaeological sites.

Dr. Kariyawsam, who is also the Convener of the Centre of Environment and Nature Studies, stressed that Sri Lanka’s tank system was internationally known.

“The Chinese don’t know about our eco systems. Otherwise, they would not have built the Port City here.  Tissawewa  is about 1,000 years old has a unique eco system, which will be destroyed by haphazard dredging.

Kariyawasam said that in 2010, the World Food Programme and World Health Organisation ranked Sri Lanka as the fourth country with the highest rate of deforestation, a position that it still hold today,.”

“Decisions like this can set a bad precedent for future threats to our forests and nature,” he asserted.

Meanwhile, a senior  archeologist said that any renovation work on the Tissawewa should be approved by the Archaeological Department and that a Chinese company had dredged the reservoir using heavy machinery without permission. “We are told a senior minister is behind such a move, the Department had taken up the matter with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.”

Hambantota District Assistant Director of Archeology Wasantha Alahakoon has written to the Irrigation Department requesting that the project be halted until permission is obtained from the Archaeological Department; the work was suspended on Friday.

The Department of Irrigation had not yet sent a letter requesting permission for such activities, he said.

Senior Professor of Archeology Raj Somadeva said he believed  that the ancient city of Magama had been located near this reservoir and many artifacts may have got washed into the reservoir.

He said that thousands of Gaja Lakshmi coins had been found during previous excavations and that the removal of mud from the Wewa must be done after investigations by the Archaeological Department.

In March,  government initiated a programme to clean 103 rivers and strengthen the banks of tanks in the country.,

The  Chinese joint venture to renovate irrigation tanks here was launched on Monday (21) and the opening stage will see the renovation of the Tissawewa.

“The water released from the Uma-Oya project will reach the Anuradhapura District soon. Therefore, it is our responsibility to ensure that we store this water in our irrigation system, without allowing it to reach the sea,” Minister Chamal Rajapaksa said during the launch of the project.

According to the Minister, the government of Sri Lanka is not incurring any cost for the installation of the machine.

“We are not paying to install this machine. They have to remove silt from the tank and pay us as well for it. They can take the sand and clay removed from the tank and sell it,” the Irrigation Minister said.

The Tissawewa is believed to have been constructed by King Yatala-Tissa who established the Ruhunu Kingdom or his uncle, King Devanampiyatissa who ruled the Anuradhapura Kingdom during the 03rd century BC.

The furor caused by the Ministers comments resulted in a press statement issued via the Department of Government Information, in which the Ministry of Irrigation affirmed the government will act responsibly towards addressing the drinking water crisis as well as protecting rainforests which are home to national water resources.



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US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development

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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.”

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Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees

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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.

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CIPM successfully concludes 8th Annual Symposium

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Left to right, Prof. Arosha Adikaram - Chairperson of the Symposium, UAC Obeyesekere – Chief Executive Officer, CIPM Sri Lanka, Guest of Honor - Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer, MAS Holdings PVT Ltd., Sri Lanka, Ken Vijayakumar, President, CIPM Sri Lanka, Priyantha Ranasinghe,Vice President, CIPM Sri Lanka, Col. Saman Jayawickrama (Retd) – Secretary, CIPM Sri Lanka, Dr Dilanjalee Weerathunga – Co Chairperson of the Symposium

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.

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