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8 committees to resolve land issues island wide

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The President assured immediate solutions to land, housing, health, irrigation, and agriculture-related issues in the Northern Province.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe said that eight (08) committees would be appointed at the provincial level to resolve land-related issues in the North and South of the country would be resolved accordingly.

President Wickremesinghe made these observations while participating in the District Development Committee meeting held at the Vavuniya District Secretariat this morning (19).

The development committee meeting was called covering Vavuniya, Mannar, and Mullaitivu districts in the Northern Province. 

The issues related to the lands, housing, health, irrigation, and agriculture in the province and solutions for them were discussed at length during the meeting.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe assured that all measures would be taken to improve the living conditions of the people by providing prompt solutions to the problems arising in various fields in the Northern Province and said that he expected the supportive hands of the parliamentarians of the Northern Province in this endeavor.

Pointing out that there are many unsolved problems in the North, the President further assured that he would resolve those issues by way of discussions with all parties.

Parliamentarian Charles Nirmalanathan drew the attention of the President to the fact that the Tamil people who settled in the Settikulam area in 1994 have still not been provided with land.

The President instructed the Vavuniya District Secretary to intervene to resolve the land issue in Settikulam within 03 months and added that he would inquire about the matter from the Ministry of Justice as well as the Ministry of Lands.

At the meeting, attention was also drawn to the problems arising due to the acquisition of certain farmlands in the Mullaitivu district by the Department of Archaeology.Special attention was focused on the housing problem of the people in the Northern Province and the officials pointed out that the housing projects initiated to address the issue in the three districts have reached different stages of construction and an additional sum of Rs. 3000 million is required for its completion.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe pointed out that many housing projects have commenced across the island and he expected to provide quick solutions to the housing problem of the people in the North.

Parliamentarian Selvam Adekkalanathan highlighted the plight and the needs of the people living in the vicinity of Vavuniya Lake and Thirikkulam Lake and drew the attention of the President at the meeting.

The renovation of the tanks in the districts, solving the fertilizer problem, and streamlining the distribution activities also was the focal point at the meeting.

The President instructed the officials to take measures to provide the necessary solutions to the health sector-related problems and the shortage of doctors in the Northern Province paying special attention to them when the issues were raised during the meeting.

Parliamentarian Rishad Bathuideen explained various irregularities that the fishermen in the Mannar district have to face in the supply of kerosene oil and the President instructed the officials to initiate an urgent inquiry into the matter.

Fisheries Minister Douglas Devananda, Urban Development, and Housing State Minister Tenuka Vidanagamage, State Minister for Rural Development Kader Mastan, Northern Province Governor Jeevan Thiagarajah, Secretary to the President Saman Ekanayake and public officials including district secretaries were present on the occasion.

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All necessary procedures to launch Starlink services in SL competed – Dy. Minister

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The government has completed all necessary procedures to launch Starlink services in Sri Lanka, says Deputy Minister of Digital Economy Eranga Weeraratne.

According to Deputy Minister Weeraratne, once the expected information dashboard is received from Starlink, the service could be launched without any operational delays.

He made this statement while attending a bilateral meeting organized by the Sri Lankan High Commission in Singapore, held alongside the 2025 Tech Summit Asia in Singapore.

The matter was discussed during a meeting between Deputy Minister of Digital Economy Eranga Weeraratne and Ambassador Stephan Lang, the United States’ Coordinator for International Communications and Information Policy at the U.S. Department of State.

During the meeting, several strategic areas were also discussed.

Ambassador Lang emphasized the importance and urgency of these initiatives, describing them as both challenging and essential for Sri Lanka’s digital future. He reiterated the United States’ continued commitment to supporting Sri Lanka in implementing these transformative digital policies and programs.

(adaderana.lk)

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

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2 more arrested over shooting Halloluwa’s vehicle

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Two more individuals have been arrested over the shooting incident targeting the vehicle of former Executive Director of the National Lotteries Board –  Thusitha Halloluwa.

According to the police, the duo was arrested by the Colombo South Divisional Crime Detective Bureau today (02).The suspects, aged 27 and 37 have been arrested in Kadawatha and Ganemulla.

According to Police, a cache of 13 rounds of T-56 type ammunition and 10 grams of the crystal methamphetamine also known as ICE were also found in the suspects’ possession.

The suspects are scheduled to be produced before the Hulftsdorp Magistrate’s Court tomorrow (June 03).

Further investigations are underway.

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MoH issues update on Covid-19 situation

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Secretary of the Ministry of Health – Dr. Anil Jasinghe has issued a special statement with regard to the Covid-19 situation in Sri Lanka.

“According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), a global increase in the activity of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19, has been reported since February 2025. Based on the International Respiratory Surveillance System, several countries, including several countries in Asia have reported a notable rise in COVID-19 cases in recent months, the statement states.

In May 2023, the WHO officially declared the end of the COVID-19 global pandemic status, and since then, COVID-19 has been treated as a disease that circulates endemically, similar to other common respiratory infections. It is a known phenomenon for the SARS-CoV-2 virus to undergo genetic mutations during its transmission,” the statement added.

“It is a known phenomenon for the SARS-CoV-2 virus to undergo genetic mutations during its transmission. The currently circulating variant reported in many countries in 2024 has been identified as a sub lineage of a previously known genetic variant. In 2024, this same variant has been detected in Sri Lanka as well.”

“In May 2025, specimens tested by the Medical Research Institute (MRI) confirmed the presence of these previously identified sub-lineages. Therefore, these are not novel variants, and no evidence of increased severity or complications has been reported,” the statement further notes.

Noting that seasonal increases in respiratory illnesses like influenza are commonly observed in recent times, especially under prevailing climatic conditions, the statement states that health authorities remain vigilant in monitoring disease trends, and the public need not panic unnecessarily.

“If individuals experience fever or respiratory symptoms, there is no need for hospital admission out of fear. However, if someone experiences difficulty breathing, medical attention should be sought,” Dr. Jasinghe says.

“Nevertheless, it is important to maintain good respiratory etiquette and general health practices to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory viral infections, such as influenza. Recommended measures include covering the mouth and nose with a tissue or the elbow when coughing or sneezing, avoiding unnecessary contact with the face, and ensuring frequent hand hygiene through proper hand washing or the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers. It is also advisable to avoid touching the face with unclean hands. Individuals exhibiting symptoms of respiratory illness should wear a face mask to minimize the risk of transmitting the infection to others and avoid crowded public settings unless essential. Special attention must be directed towards high-risk populations, as they are more susceptible to developing complications from respiratory infections. These groups include older adults, pregnant women, and infants and young children, whose immune systems are either compromised or still developing. Furthermore, individuals with underlying medical conditions such as heart disease, chronic respiratory illnesses, diabetes, renal disease, cancer, or other chronic diseases, as well as those receiving immunosuppressive therapy, are at increased risk and require additional protection,” the statement further adds.

The full statement is as follows :

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