SriLankan Airlines has dispatched a special relief flight – UL 302 from Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) to Medan International Airport on the Indonesian island of Sumatra to transport 101 passengers and crew members of SriLankan Airlines flight UL 306, which was grounded due to a technical fault.Singapore-bound SriLankan Airlines flight UL 306, which departed from BIA in Katunayake for Singapore last evening (June 05), had made an emergency landing at Medan Kuala Namu International Airport due to a technical issue.
Following an inspection by an Indonesian technical team, it was determined that the necessary repairs would require additional time. Therefore, SriLankan Airlines decided to accommodate the passengers in hotels.
Although a complication had initially arisen when Indonesian authorities initially declined to grant permission for hotel transfers, it was later resolved through the intervention of the Sri Lankan Ambassador to Indonesia.
Meanwhile, a technical team from Sri Lanka had departed for Indonesia on a flight bound for Jakarta this morning (June 06) to further inspect the grounded aircraft.
It has been revealed that although salt imports from India have cost less than Rs.75 per kilo, local consumers are being made to pay extra, with products being priced with profits of Rs.100 per kilo.
The government recently allowed large-scale salt imports to address local shortages, with the private sector also importing significant quantities.
According to reports the Sri Lanka State Trading (General) Corporation (STC) had imported 12,450 MT of salt, priced at Rs.74.75 per kilo.
Convener of the ‘Civil Intelligence Front’ – Sanjaya Mahawatta alleges that the STC has concealed from the public the price at which salt was purchased from India.
Despite the Sri Lanka Salt Manufacturers’ Association recently setting a MRP, current market prices are reportedly much higher.
Granular salt is being sold at Rs.320–350 per kilo, and a 400g pack of salt powder is around Rs.150.
The Sri Lanka Thriposha Company Limited has successfully resumed operations under the government’s restructuring initiative aimed at transforming loss-making state enterprises into profit-generating institutions.
According to Chairman Amal Niroshana Attanayake, as of June 16, the previously idle machines at the Thriposha factory are now operating around the clock. The first batches of Thriposha product packets have already been produced, and the once-empty warehouses are now being restocked, signaling the return of a 24-hour production cycle.
The Chairman announced that the company is preparing to distribute Thriposha nationwide in the coming days, ensuring that pregnant mothers, lactating mothers, and infants will once again have access to this vital nutritional supplement.
Additionally, under Attanayake’s leadership, the company will soon launch a new line of nutritious and flavorful Thriposha cupcakes, available in chocolate, banana, vanilla, strawberry, and mango flavors.
Consumers will be able to purchase these new products starting next week at the company’s Ja-Ela head office outlet.
(dailynews.lk)
(Except for the headline, this story, originally published by dailynews.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)
Sri Lanka Customs has recommended the re-export of 05 containers of imported salt after they failed to meet national quality standards.
According to Customs Spokesperson Seewali Arukgoda, all salt containers brought into the country are subject to rigorous standards testing. The five containers in question were found to be non-compliant with Sri Lanka Standards Certification requirements.
According to Customs, approximately 2,000 containers of salt have been imported under the relevant import permit.
MRP on salt
Earlier, The Sri Lanka Salt Manufacturers Association has announced that salt will now be sold under newly set Maximum Retail Prices (MRP), following an agreement with the Consumer Affairs Council.
This move comes after import restrictions were relaxed, and sufficient salt stocks have arrived in the country. The MRPs are as follows :
1 kg granular salt – Rs.180 1 kg salt powder – Rs.240 400 g salt powder – Rs.120
The Association stated that while distribution has begun, it may take a few days for the packaged salt to reach outlets islandwide. Consumers can expect to purchase salt at regulated prices once full distribution is in place.