News

Fisheries Minister denies Indian media reports on Palk Bay boundary agreement

Published

10 months ago

June 30, 2024

editor

Fisheries Minister Douglas Devananda has refuted Indian media reports about any new agreement between Sri Lanka and India regarding the Palk Bay boundary or the Kachchathivu island.

Responding to reports from Indian newspapers, Devananda yesterday told the Sunday Observer that there had been no discussions in the Cabinet about maritime boundaries in the Palk Bay.

Devananda took to task some Indian political parties for revisiting the 1974-1976 India-Sri Lanka Agreement on the Palk Bay boundary during the Indian elections, using the issue of Kachchathivu island to garner votes.

He said that such claims are common during elections, referencing the recent Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu.

He said that the boundary agreement was more disadvantageous to Sri Lanka, limiting access to minerals, pearl grounds, and other resources in the Wadge Bank of the Palk Bay boundary.

(sundayobserver.lk)

(Except for the headline, this story, originally published by sundayobserver.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)

News

“Reports of Wijepala – Nissanka meeting, fake”

Published

10 hours ago

April 18, 2025

editor

The Public Security Ministry has denied media reports claiming that the Public Security minister – Ananda Wijepala had met Nissanka Senadhipathi.

The Minister’s media secretary had clarified this in a letter to Acting IGP Priyantha Weerasuriya.
Adding that the neither the Minister or a representative had ever met Senadhipathi as claimed, the letter calls for proper investigations into the fake news and legal action against those responsible.

News

Special allowance for policemen on duty at ‘Siri Dalada Vandanawa’

Published

15 hours ago

April 18, 2025

editor

A special transport allowance and a combined allowance will be provided to police personnel assigned to ensure the safety of devotees attending the exposition of the Sacred Tooth Relic (Siri Dalada Vandanawa) in Kandy, the police said.

The measure has been taken over the instructions of the Acting IGP, in consideration of the fact that these police personnel will be on continuous day and night duty for over 10 days, away from their regular stations and incurring additional personal expenses.

News

Ravi K’s Bill to repeal Online Safety Act, gazetted

Published

15 hours ago

April 18, 2025

editor

The Bill to repeal the Online Safety Act, No. 9 of 2024, and other regulations concerning the Act, has been gazetted.

The Online Safety Bill was passed by a majority vote in Parliament on Jan. 24, 2024.

The Bill that has been gazetted was submitted by opposition MP Ravi Karunanayake.

On Feb. 28, 2025, MP Karunanayake submitted a private member’s Bill to the Parliament Secretary-General, aiming to repeal the controversial Online Safety Act.