News
Lanka to set up fifth seismic station with Chinese assistance
By Ifham Nizam
Plans are underway to set up the country’s fifth seismic station in the Western Province with Chinese assistance to measure earthquakes occurring in and around Sri Lanka.
Responding to queries, Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera yesterday confirmed that discussions were being held with the Chinese government in that regard. He however didn’t reveal the total investment including the cost of maintenance of the proposed Monitoring Centre. He only said it would a huge sum.
Commenting on remarks by Prof. Athula Senaratne of the University of Peradeniya that Sri Lanka was likely to face a major earthquake in the near future, the Minister said, @I discussed this with the geologists at the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau. We have appointed a committee of highly qualified scientists including professors to look into it.”
Prof. Senaratne is also on the committee. However, geologists have informed the minister that the latest prediction by Prof. Senaratne had not been discussed by the committee so far.
Amaraweera added: “None can rule out the possibility of an earthquake. There is no technology in the world to forecast earthquakes. “You are aware that minor earthquakes have been reported from time to time inland as well as in the seas close to our country during the last two years. Therefore, there is a fear in society regarding the possibility of an earthquake in our country in a very short time.”
Minor earthquakes were first reported in the area around Victoria Reservoir near Kandy. Therefore, in the capacity as the Minister concerned, he appointed a committee consisting of mainly university Dons to investigate and report on these frequent tremors.
Geological Survey and Mines Bureau Chairman Anura Walpola was appointed as its Chairman.
The report also made a number of recommendations. According to the recommendations, 10 seismometers will be installed at several other locations along the Victoria Dam to study seismic conditions.
“Two months ago, we installed the same type of seismometers at 10 places in the Kandy suburbs. Steps have also been taken to implement all the recommendations of the report, the Minister said, adding apart from Kandy, minor earthquakes had been reported from Badulla, Madolsima, Lunugamvehera and Hambantota recently. Also, two earthquakes of significant magnitude were reported in the sea area close to the country in a short period of time.
The Minister also said on Tuesday he had instructed GSMB to take immediate action in that regard.
There are currently four seismic stations. However, geologists are of the opinion that three would be sufficient.
However, government is taking steps to establish the fifth centre in the Western Province.
Senior seismologist Nilmini Thaldena said that nobody could predict an earthquake. Although Sri Lanka was not in an earthquake risk zone, Indonesia was prone to be the base for tsunamis due to earthquakes there. “When the 2004 tsunami hit us, our country was not ready for it, but now we have all the necessary precautions in place to reduce the risk,” she said.
She also said that the equipment currently available in the country was adequate to measure earthquakes. “The equipment we currently have is enough to collect seismic data. However, we will discuss further with the relevant expert committee in this regard and if there are any shortcomings, we will take steps to rectify them,” she said.
Geologist Ajith Preenama, Director, Mapping Division was also present.
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
