News
Extreme weather claims lives of three persons since Sunday
By Norman Palihawadane
The inclement weather,prevailing in the country since Sunday morning, has claimed the lives of three persons and injured another, police said yesterday
Due to the prevailing rain situation, Level 1 and Level 2 Landslide Early Warnings have been issued to 20 divisional secretariat divisions in the districts of Galle, Kalutara, Kegalle, and Ratnapura.
Nawalapitiya Police said that a 62-year-old person died on Sunday (03) when a mound of earth collapsed on him due, to bad weather, while he was laying a foundation for a parapet wall.
Meanwhile, a person who went to bathe in the Gin Ganga fell into the water and drowned. Also, a father of three died on Sunday (03) after falling from Rakwana Duli Falls.
Five vehicles were damaged when a kohomba tree fell on the Our Lady of Sorrows Church at Ja-Ela. An elderly woman was seriously injured and hospitalized after the roof of her house collapsed in Kamburugoda, Bandaragama.
The Colombo District Disaster Management Unit says that many people were affected in a number of Grama Niladhari divisions in Kolonnawa, Deans Road in Maradana, Grandpass South, Madampitiya and Wanathamulla Grama Niladhari divisions as the rain water did not drain quickly after heavy down pours on Sunday morning flooding the areas.
Vehicular traffic was also disrupted in Colombo and in many parts of the island due to fallen trees.
The Meteorology Department said due to activation of the South West Monsoon, rain conditions are expected in the South West part of the country.
Showers, or thundershowers, will occur at times in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Central and North-western provinces. Fairly heavy showers, above 50mm, are likely at some places in the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in the districts of Galle, Matara and Nuwara-Eliya.
Heavy rain has been falling on the western slopes of the central hills since Saturday midnight. The water level of Maskeliya Oya has risen rapidly due to heavy rains in Miriakotte and Sri Pada Reserve, where Maskeliya Oya originates, which mainly supplies water to the Maussakelle Reservoir. The water level of the Gartmore Waterfall and Moray Falls, which supply water to the Maussakelle Reservoir, has also risen.
The water level in Keselgamu Oya has risen due to heavy rains falling since Sunday morning in Bogawanthalawa, Mahaeliya Reserve, which is the main water catchment area of Castlereagh Reservoir. Due to the overflow of Keselgamu Oya, which mainly flows into the Castlereagh Reservoir, many roads, leading to Bogawanthalawa and Kotiagala estates, have been flooded.
Due to the heavy rains and strong winds that are falling intermittently on the western slopes of the central hills these days, there is a risk of trees falling and mounds of earth collapsing on the Hatton-Colombo and Hatton-Nuwara Eliya main road. Police are requesting motorists to exercise caution when travelling on those roads.
The Irrigation Director’s Office says that the water level of the Gin Ganga is rising, with the further activation of the upper fed areas of the river due to the ongoing torrential rains.
Gin Ganga Irrigation Engineer Piumi de Silva said the water level of the Baddegama water gauge had increased to 3.73 meters at 9 am Sunday, raising the risk of a minor flood situation in the Baddegama area. Due to this, the low-lying cultivated lands and many byways in the areas of Agaliya, Mulkada, Pathawelivitiya, Bambarahikada, Navakkada, etc., on both sides of the river, were flooded.
Meanwhile, the water level in the Thavalama water gauge has increased to 2.92 meters, the Engineer said.
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
