President orders plan to alleviate poverty
President Maithripala Sirisena has ordered officials to prepare a plan in the new year to alleviate poverty in the country. Addressing public officials at the Polonnaruwa District Secretariat, the President
The Island (Sri Lanka)
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The food and energy crisis are two sides of the same coin'
The food and energy crisis are two sides of the same coin, " said Sustainable Energy Authority Executive Director Asoka Abeygunawardena, when he launched the booklet titled
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President to open drinking water supply scheme in Hambantota
Rs. 1 billion drinking water supply scheme, benefiting about 50,000 people in the Hambantota District affected by drought for 8 months of the year, built by UNICEF will be declared open by President Mahinda Rajapaksa and UNICEF Resident Representative in Sri Lanka Philippe Duamelle on Friday (29). Minister of Water Supply Mahinda Amaraweera told
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Vehicular emissions one of reasons for increase in asthma, kidney disease
The incidence of asthma and kidney disease in the North-Central province are reported to have increased and medical experts are of the view that vehicular emissions, including gaseous substances and particulate matters such as cadmium, ferrous, copper vanadium and led accumulated in the atmosphere are to blame. These substances are airborne and come down with rains affecting surface and ground water resources, the Atomic Energy Authority said at an International Meeting held to discuss the issue of air pollution in Colombo recently.
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Now, Colombo faces threat of a garbage bomb
Sri Lanka's biggest garbage mountain, growing in height day by day, at Bloemendhal Road, Colombo 13 has become a menace. It could explode if fire spreads to the methane gas emanating from the lower levels of the dump, the Colombo Municipal Council Public Health Department warned yesterday. A recent fire in a section of the dump had aggravated an already bad health hazard, residents of the area complained yesterday (26).
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Over 30,000 child labourers in country
Over 30,000 children under the age of 14 years are employed in shops, boutiques and majority secretly employed in the domestic sector. Apart from that sexual exploitation of children by local and foreign tourists is also found to be on the rise.
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Environment protection licence a must for private hospitals
Around 300 private hospitals throughout the country are required to obtain Environment protection licences before the December 31 this year. Private hospitals are alleged to have been dumping their waste at Bloemendhal and other dumping sites causing major environmental pollution, the Environment and Natural Resources Ministry said.
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The Green Levy a good proposition
the Environment Conservation Levy Act introduced this month proposes to impose taxes on mobile phones, transmission towers, electrical bulbs excluding CFL bulbs and certain motor vehicles. The Govt. hopes to collect between Rs.500-600mn from this levy. The Environment Ministry has also assured that this money will not be misused. The Environment Minister is definitely doing a good job of work and his integrity has never been in doubt. Hence, there is no reason to suspect that monies accruing to the Environment Conservation levy account will be abused.
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Champika stresses importance of environmental sustainability
The Human Development Index doesn't take into account the sustainability of development projects particularly environmental sustainability, Environment and Natural Resources Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka yesterday told international journalists. He said they should to take the initiative for this both at regional and global level.
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A Nonproliferation Disaster
Decision time has arrived on the controversial nuclear cooperation proposal that was first proposed by President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in July 2005. After a long delay, the Indian government has sidestepped domestic critics of the deal and is asking the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors to consider a new "India-specific" safeguards agreement that would cover a limited number of additional "civilian" reactors. The IAEA Board could meet on the matter by the end of July.
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Farmers complain of poor quality seeds
From Bingiriya Corr.Most of the paddy and vegetable cultivators in the rural areas of the Kurunegala district complained they found it difficult to get quality seeds for their crops. Private companies that sell seeds do not provide good quality seeds although they assure farmers of the seed quality and charge high prices. Seeds that are available in the market were not of good quality, K. Somaratne the President of Small Farmers' Organization in Bingiriya told The Island.