Lanka News – Lanka Gazette – Sri Lanka News Portal

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA), after a fact finding mission in the resettled areas, said yesterday that people appear to be using the monies given by the government to purchase , first due to the transport problems.

For a resettled family, the government gives Rs. 25,000. Of this amount, Rs 5000 is given in cash, and the rest as a bank deposit.

TNA National List MP   M. A. Sumanthiran told Daily Mirror that he observed, in one or two villages, that people had used these deposits mainly to buy bicycles. Mr. Sumanthiram said that the public transport is a major issue confronting the resettled families in most areas. Also, he noted that, in some areas, people had not received these monies from the government authorities. Continue Reading

The Coast Conservation department has obtained the clearance to demolish over 1000 homes constructed illegally along the coast, the Director General of the Coast Conservation Department H.N.R Perera told Daily Mirror online.

He said that as an initial stage 1700 homes constructed illegally along the coast, mostly along the Southern part of Sri Lanka, will be demolished while clearance has been sought to clear more constructions at a later stage. Continue Reading

The opposition has sent a signed petition to President Mahinda Rajapaksa demanding the release of DNA leader Retired General Sarath Fonseka from military custody. Fifty UNP and DNA MPs including opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe have signed this petition.

DNA General Secretary MP Vijitha Herath told a news conference that General Sarath Fonseka is detained in military custody in an inhumane manner. Continue Reading

A group of tourists, including 15 civil defence force personnel, visiting the Wilpattu national park assaulted two park guides and two drivers and also damaged two jeeps. The Nochiyagama police said they had received a complaint over the incident and had commenced investigations.

The incident occurred when a group of 40 tourists who were visiting the park last evening on board 4 jeeps with the two guides, had wanted to consume liquor inside the park premises despite it being prohibited.
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Malaysia will once again offer transit travelers from Sri Lanka, Pakistan, India and Bangladesh a chance to visit the country without the need for a visa.

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the Government, had decided to reinstate from July 1 the “transit without visa” offer to travellers from the four countries after considering the advantage it would offer in terms of attracting more tourists from the region. Continue Reading

The second Court Martial probing into charges, related to General Sarath Fonseka’s alleged violation of military procurement procedures, resumed its sittings today, the Military said.

The Defence Counsel as well as prosecutors made their submissions to the tribunal and the proceedings went on till evening, the army website said without giving further details on today’s hearing.
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The son-in-law of General Sarath Fonseka, Dhanuna Tilakaratne is still hiding in Sri Lanka and has not fled the country as was speculated at times, police spokesman Priyashantha Jayakody told Daily Mirror online.

The police spokesman said that the passport of Tilakaratne, who is wanted by the police and has an arrest warrant against him over some financial dealings involving General Fonseka, remains blacklisted and as such there is no way he could escape overseas.
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A passing out parade for the 40th batch of Commando troops took place  at the Uva-Kudaoya Commando Training School today.  A Parent of a passed out soldier can be seen here pining the Commando badge at the ceremony.  Pix courtesy the Army Continue Reading

Over 40 people have been hospitalized following an accident on the Kandy-Mahiyangana Road today involving a school bus and another private bus, police said. Out of the injured, 20 are school children who have been rushed to the Kandy General Hospital.

Police said the accident was a head on collision which took place on the Wegala bend at around 6.30 a.m. today.

The private bus had been carrying passengers who had been traveling for a wedding while the school bus had been taking students from the Teldeniya Maha Vidyalaya. Continue Reading

An emergency situation has been declared in Nuwera Eliya over the threat of landslides and floods, as a result of the inclement weather conditions, Nuwera Eliya Government Agent D. Kumarasiri told Daily Mirror online.

Over 60 families are currently sheltered in temporary centers as their houses have been completely destroyed due to the heavy rains and winds in the area, the official said.

Several roads leading up to the hill country have also been flooded and covered with excessive mud from landslides in the past few days. Continue Reading