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Consumer Commission orders Thomas Cook and Red Apple Travel to pay Rs 1 crore

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The Delhi Consumer Commission directed travel companies Thomas Cook and Red Apple Travel to pay Rs 1 crore as compensation to Yogesh Saigal for the death of his family members in a road accident during a vacation in Sri Lanka.

Considering the mental and physical trauma faced due to the loss of his family caused by the negligence of the two travel companies, the Delhi State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission sided with Saigal in an order dated July 1. The loss of livelihood and future prospects of Saigal’s wife were also taken into account.

Saigal, along with his wife, son, daughter, and father-in-law, had booked a vacation package to Sri Lanka through Thomas Cook in November 2019 for Rs 3.56 lakh. This package included accommodations, sightseeing, transportation, and travel insurance.

On December 23, 2019, the vehicle carrying Saigal’s family collided with a container truck in Colombo, resulting in the immediate deaths of his wife, son, and father-in-law. Saigal himself sustained severe injuries, including multiple fractures, and his daughter, Aishwarya, also suffered physical trauma.

The complainant further alleged that a few hours before the commencement of their journey, he was informed that the arrangements in Sri Lanka would be managed by Red Apple Travel, a fact that was not disclosed to him during the booking process.

Saigal further alleged that the involvement of Red Apple Travel was only revealed 36 hours prior to the journey, leaving the family with no option but to proceed or risk forfeiting the entire amount paid.

The aftermath of the accident led to Saigal issuing a legal notice to Thomas Cook on February 24, 2021, seeking Rs. 8.99 crore in damages for negligence, deficiency in services, unfair trade practices, and misleading advertisements. In his complaint, Saigal argued that Thomas Cook had failed in its duty of care by not ensuring safe and reliable contractors for the tour.

(Indian Express)
(Except for the headline, this story, originally published by Indian Express has not been edited by SLM staff)

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Employees concerned as CEAT takes over Michelin Lanka

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Employees of Michelin Lanka Pvt Ltd, located in the Midigama area of Matara, allege that there are plans to sell the company.

This has raised concerns among employees about job losses, leading to protests. 

Workers allege that the company is planning to dismiss them with a minimal severance payment, which they believe is insufficient.

An employee has revealed to the media that after workers were informed about this decision, a newly formed employees’ union has set several demands to the company authorities.

Workers have demanded a fair severance package, but authorities have offered Rs.200,000, (a sum employees consider inadequate) reportedly asking them to provide resignation letters in return.

An employer also states that before the current government took office, Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe had proposed that forming a trade union could help secure workers’ rights.  However, the president and secretary of that union are now reportedly in hiding, he employer adds.

Meanwhile, holding a press conference recently, the Inter Company Employees’ Union had revealed that Michelin Lanka Pvt Ltd is in the process of selling the company to the Indian company – CEAT.

According to the union, CEAT has purchased a majority stake in the company.

As part of the deal, it is reported that the Midigama factory of Michelin Lanka Pvt Ltd  and part of its operations in Ja-Ela have been transferred to Indian CEAT company.

The Inter Company Employees’ Union had stated there was no issue as a MoU was signed between the two companies to secure workers’ rights. According to the agreement, Michelin Lanka Pvt Ltd had pledged to honor the full service period of affected workers, while CEAT agreed to provide appropriate compensation based on their years of service, the union adds.

Michelin Lanka was previously a part of Camso Loadstar (Private) Ltd, one of the largest suppliers of industrial tyres in the global market.

The situation at Michelin Lanka follows the sudden closure of the NEXT garment factory in the Katunayake Free Trade Zone a few weeks ago, leaving over 1,400 workers jobless.

In a statement, the company cited high production costs as the reason for shutting down operations in Sri Lanka.

වැලිගම මිචලින් ආයතනය වසාදමා රැකියා අනාරක්ෂිත තත්ත්වයට පත්ව ඇති බවට ගෙන යන ප්‍රචාර අසත්‍යයි – අන්තර් සමාගම් සේවක සංගමය 𝗙𝗢𝗟𝗟𝗢𝗪 𝗨𝗦 𝗢𝗡 ITN News වෙබ් අඩවියට මෙතනින් පිවිසෙන්න Link : https://www.itnnews.lk/ ITN News Facebook පේජ් එකට මෙතනින් පිවිසෙන්න Link : https://www.facebook.com/ITNNewsSinhala/ ITN News Instagram පේජ් එකට මෙතනින් පිවිසෙන්න Link : https://www.instagram.com/itnnews.lk/ ITN News WhatsApp Channel Follow කරන්න Link : https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaeWmNN96H4PlEhUUO2Q ITN News You Tube චැනලයට මෙතනින් පිවිසෙන්න Link : http://www.youtube.com/@ITNNewsOnline ITN News Srilanka You Tube චැනලයට මෙතනින් පිවිසෙන්න Link : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqrqt9Egbp4Voh3iEUUoorw #itnnews #lankanews #itn #srilanka #lknews

Posted by ITNnews on Monday, May 26, 2025

(Video credits : FB page of ITN)

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Over 01 million tourists in first 05 months of 2025

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The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) has stated that the number of foreign nationals who visited the country in the first 05 months of 2025 has exceeded 01 million.

As of 25 May 2025, a total of 1,006,097 foreign nationals have arrived in the country while a total of 109,213 tourists have arrived in the country in the first 25 days of May, according to the Authority.

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BOC & NSB record historic profits

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In a milestone moment for Sri Lanka’s financial sector, the Bank of Ceylon (BOC) and the National Savings Bank (NSB) reported record-breaking profits for the year 2024, officially presenting their annual reports to President Anura Kumara Disanayake at the Presidential Secretariat today (22).

The achievements, marked by robust fiscal discipline, strategic vision and public accountability, signal a renewed trajectory of confidence in state-owned banking institutions.

The BOC announced a staggering pre-tax profit of Rs. 106 billion, the highest ever recorded not only by a bank but by any institution, public or private, in Sri Lanka’s history. BOC Chairman Kavinda de Zoysa emphasized the significance of this financial milestone, stating, “This is a historic record as the BOC recorded the highest profit before tax of Rs. 106 billion, the highest profit achieved by any institution, bank or company in Sri Lanka in its entire history.”

He credited the bank’s strategic focus on national development and SME support, adding, “BOC continues as the largest SME and development bank in the country with the best business rehabilitation unit which is futuristic and supports the entire nation.”

Meanwhile, the NSB posted a dramatic turnaround, reporting a pre-tax profit of Rs. 26.4 billion, a remarkable leap from Rs. 4.2 billion in 2023. Chairman Dr. Harsha Cabral attributed this growth to prudent fiscal governance and effective stakeholder collaboration.

 “The National Savings Bank recorded the highest ever profit before tax of Rs. 26.4 billion for the year 2024. This is a momentous success and a major increase from the Rs. 4.2 billion in 2023,” he said. “The success of NSB is mainly due to the financial discipline and macroeconomic stability of the country. I dedicate this achievement to the entire NSB family, including our employees, board of directors, senior staff, customers and all stakeholders who support us directly or indirectly.”

Dr. Cabral highlighted that NSB is no longer a burden on the state. “We are a self-sustaining success story and not a burden on the Treasury anymore. With professional management and financial discipline, the NSB has achieved its targets and hopes to exceed them in 2025,” he noted. He also pointed to internal reforms and staff incentives that bolstered morale and productivity. In 2024, NSB’s workforce was streamlined from 4,600 to 4,200 while maintaining a 262-branch network. Employees were rewarded with a five-month bonus, and gold coins were reintroduced for long service recognition after a five-year gap.

Both chairmen underscored a rare but significant aspect of their governance: neither they nor their board members draw a salary for their service. “Our reward is the institution’s success and its contribution to national development,” Cabral remarked, a sentiment echoed by de Zoysa as a model of civic-minded leadership.

President Anura Kumara Disanayake commended the accomplishments of both institutions, stating, “These banks demonstrate how strategic leadership and ethical governance can transform public institutions into pillars of national strength. Their performance is a beacon of what’s possible in Sri Lanka’s economic future.”

With an eye on 2025, BOC is set to expand its digital infrastructure to enhance accessibility and customer service, while NSB plans to refine its operations further, guided by corporate governance best practices.

(President’s Media Division)

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