News
‘Most earth-slips and landslides man-made disasters’
By Saman Indrajith
Most of the earth slips and landslides that are reported are the result of bad practices in construction, Dr. Gamini Jayatissa, Director of Landslide Research Division of the National Building Research Organization (NBRO), said yesterday.
“Most of these incidents were not caused by natural reasons. When people build houses on hilly areas, they flatten the ground. When you do this in a slope that has an angle, you are setting yourself up for a future landslide,” he said.
Dr. Jayatissa indicated that there are ways of building houses on slopes in a safe manner. In 2011, laws were passed making NBRO recommendations necessary, prior to making any constructions in mountainous areas. NBRO offices have been established in 10 districts and they provide necessary advice.
“However, not all construction is made following our advice. This is especially seen in the construction of rural housing. We can see this in areas that are controlled by pradeshiya sabhas. You can see that most landslides are reported in those areas,” he said.
Dr. Jayatissa went on to say that they have issued landslide warnings for eight districts and that they are constantly monitoring the situation.
“We have to keep an eye out. There has been a lot of rain and the soil is saturated. Further rain, even small rains, can lead to serious landslides. There is a big threat of earth slips. Most houses in the hills, with unstable slopes behind them, are in danger,” he said.
Assistant Director of Media and Public Relation of the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) Janaka Handunpathiraja also said that earth slips and falling trees are the main reasons for property damage.
“People need to be more vigilant. If there is an unstable slope behind your house or if you feel there is a tree that can topple onto your house, you must take the necessary actions,” he said.
Eng. S.P.C. Sugeeshwara Director of Irrigation – Hydrology & Disaster Management, indicated that water levels of Laxapana and Castlereigh reservoirs were extremely low prior to the recent activation of the north-western monsoon. Both these reservoirs were over 70 percent full by Wednesday, he added.
“Samanalawewa was empty. But water levels are now at about 40 percent. These are good developments for electricity generation. But by October last year, we had more water in all three above-mentioned tanks. On the other hand, the Mahaweli scheme was not affected by the monsoons,” he 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
