News
Torrential rains claim 14 lives, two more missing
By Ifham Nizam
Torrential rains lashing the country have claimed 14 lives and damaged more than 900 houses, according to the the Disaster Management Centre (DMC).
Some 245,212 persons belonging to 60,674 families have been affected in ten districts since last Thursday.
The Irrigation Department yesterday issued a red notice, stating that the water level of the Kelani Ganga was rising.
Department’s Engineer (Hydrology) S P C Sugishwara said the flood situation in the Kelani valley was likely to worsen.
He said flood waters in the Ruwanwella, Dehiowita, Seethawaka, Dompe, Kaduwela, Biyagama, Homagama, Kolonnawa, Colombo and Wattala Divisional Secretariats in the Kelani River Basin might rise further.
More than 800 houses have suffered damage mostly in the Ratnapura and Gampaha districts. At present in certain places, Kelani, Kalu, Attanagaluoya and Mahaoya have caused minor floods.
However, water levels are receding in many areas.
Nearly 15,658 people belonging to 3,520 families have been affected and evacuated to 72 welfare centres––32 in the Colombo district, 12 in Gampaha, Kalutara 10 and Ratnapura 10.
Some 3,397 of 794 families of these displaced people are staying with relatives or in friends’ houses.
The National Disaster Relief Services Centre (NDRSC) has allocated Rs. 74.5 million for response and relief operations in the disaster-hit areas.
The DMC warned yesterday that the upper catchment areas of the Kelani Ganga basin might cause floods in the next 24 hours.
Adverse weather has affected people in Gampaha, Ratnapura, Colombo, Puttalam, Kalutara, Nuwara Eliya, Kegalla, Kandy, Kurunegala and Galle districts.
Sri Lanka Navy has deployed 33 relief teams in the Western, Southern, Sabaragamuwa and Northwestern Provinces to provide relief to the people affected by the floods caused by torrential rains. They have rescued 66 more persons including children and women, affected by floods in several areas in the Gampaha and Kalutara districts and provided them relief measures.
The Navy relief teams managed to rescue 61 persons including children and women affected by floods in the Ja-Ela area in the Gampaha District and five more persons in the Bulathsinhala area in the Kalutara district.
The Navy has sent out its relief/rescue teams to the flood-risk areas in the Gampaha, Kalutara, Colombo, Rathnapura, Galle, Matara and Puttalam districts. Moreover, 11 more Navy relief teams are kept on standby for deployment, as and when a need arises.
Water stagnation is still reported from Kaduwela, Kolonnawa in Colombo District, Biyagama, Wattala, Ja-ela, Kelaniya, Gampaha in Gampaha District, and necessary relief efforts are provided by district administration with the support of the military.
Showers or thundershowers will occur at times in Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces and in Galle, Matara, Nuwara-Eliya and Kandy districts today. Fairly heavy falls of about 50 mm can be expected at some places in these areas. Showers or thundershowers will occur at a few places in Uva and Eastern provinces during the evening or night.
The National Building Research Organization has issued high risk alert for Ingiriya, Palindanuwara, Bulathsinhala, Agalawatte and Matugama in the Kalutara district, Kalawana, Ayagama, Kiriella & Eheliyagoda in the Ratnapura district, Ambagamuwa in Nuwara-Eliya District, Yatiyantota, Dehiowita, Bulathkohupitiya, Deraniyagala, Kegalle, Warakapola, Galigamuwa, Ruwanwella, Aranayaka, Mawanella & Rambukkana in the Kegalle District. Further, medium level risk alerts have been issued to some areas in Colombo, Galle, Gampaha, Kalutara, Kandy, Matale districts.
The WFP handed over a consignment of items to the Disaster Management Centre to support the Monsoon emergency response efforts. These items which include personal protective equipment, disinfectant liquid and sprayers, thermal scanners and washbasins will help facilitate response and relief activities to assist those affected by the South-West Monsoon rains.
The Consignment was handed over to Major General (Retd.) Sudantha Ranasinghe, Director General of Disaster Management Centre by Indu Abeyratne, Programme Officer of World Food Programme, whilst Director Preparedness and Director Operations were also present at the handover.
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
