News

Housing Ministry Secretary added to Admin Officers’ Pool

Published

3 years ago

November 14, 2022

editor

Urban Development and Housing Ministry Secretary Pradeep Rathnayake has been referred to the Pool of Administrative Officers under the Public Administration Ministry over misconduct committed when he was the Matara District Secretary.

Internal sources at the Public Administration Ministry said that this decision has been taken by the Presidential Secretariat after receiving the preliminary investigation report of the inquiry into the matter.

Mr. Ratnayake was scheduled to retire at the end of this year.

Ministry secretaries are managed through the Presidential Secretariat.

The government has focused on emptying the pool of administrative officers and the Public Administration Ministry said the officials who are in this pool will be employed in temporary positions.

Former Sports Ministry Secretary Anuradha Wijekoon was also in this pool but he was appointed as an Additional Secretary of the Public Administration Ministry recently.

Action to be taken against more..

Meanwhile, it was reported that the Ministry is focusing on transferring several senior and junior administrative officials employed in the Peliyagoda, Kelaniya, Gampaha, Wattala and Ja-ela areas over incidents of misconduct.

Most of them have been accused of complicity in granting permits to construct unauthorised buildings, endangering public health and complicity in constructing substandard roads.

Special attention has also been paid on the complaints received to the Bribery Commission via the Public Administration Ministry against these officials.

Meanwhile, a reliable source revealed that a report is being prepared at the Western Province Governor’s Office regarding the state officials who disregard the instructions of the Governor.

A special programme has also been implemented at the Presidential Secretariat to collect data of administrative officials against whom allegations have been made through the media.

News

Train schedules on Northern line revised

Published

50 seconds ago

July 7, 2025

editor

The Department of Railways has announced amendments to train schedules on the Northern Line in response to public requests.

Due to high demand, the Intercity Express train, which previously operated only on weekends, will now run daily between Mt. Lavinia and Kankesanthurai starting today (July 07).

In addition, the departure time of the “Yaal Devi” train plying daily from Colombo Fort to Kankesanthurai has been revised from 5.45 am to 6.40 am.

The Department has advised passengers who made advance seat reservations for the “Yaal Devi” train a month ago, to note the new departure time.

News

Rains expected in several areas today

Published

1 hour ago

July 7, 2025

editor

The Meteorology Department says that several spells of showers will occur in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and provinces and in Kandy, Nuwara-Eliya, Galle and Matara districts today (July 07).

A few showers may occur in the North-western province.

Showers or thundershowers may occur at a few places in the Uva province and in Ampara and Batticaloa districts during the afternoon or night.

Strong winds of about 40-50 kmph can be expected at times over Western slopes of the central hills and in Northern, North-central and North-western provinces and in Trincomalee and Hambantota districts.

The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.

News

Former Eastern Provincial Council member arrested

Published

12 hours ago

July 6, 2025

editor

Ampara District Organizer of the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal party and former member of the Eastern Provincial Council K. Pushpakumar alias Iniya Bharathi has been arrested.

He was arrested over the abduction and disappearance of the former Vice Chancellor of the Eastern University Prof. Subramaniyam Ravindranath.

Sivanathurai Chandrakanthan, alias Pillayan, the leader of the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP) and former State Minister, was arrested by the Colombo Criminal Investigation Department at his office in Batticaloa on April 8, over this incident.

He was later detained for 3 months under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.

Iniya Bharathi, also known as Kumaraswamy Pushpakumar, was arrested based on information revealed during the interrogation of Pillayan.