Leopardess found dead with severe injuries in Hatton Mayfield Estate

Published

1 month ago

February 10, 2025

editor

Wildlife officials have discovered the body of a three-year-old leopard with severe head injuries at the Mayfield Estate in Hatton.

Officials from the Nallathanniya Wildlife Office suspect the leopard sustained fatal injuries due to a vehicle collision or an attack.

The discovery followed a tip-off from the Dimbula Pathana Police, who reported the carcass in the estate’s tea gardens.

On the orders of the Hatton Magistrate, the body has been sent to the Randenigala Wildlife Veterinary Hospital for a post-mortem examination to determine the exact cause of death.

Misuse of plantation funds and lands exposed in parliament

Published

2 hours ago

March 15, 2025

editor

Minister of Plantations and Community Infrastructure, Samantha Vidyarathna, addressed Parliament, alleging that numerous associates and officials, including former ministers, have recently received substantial sums of money and government lands under the pretext of various cultivation projects, which were subsequently not implemented. He announced that investigations will be initiated into these matters.

Minister Vidyarathna accused former Minister Salinda Dissanayake of acquiring 76 acres of fertile land from the Kurunegala Plantation Company through a company he personally established.

Additionally, he claimed that a friend of former Minister Arundika Fernando was allocated 21 acres of fertile land belonging to the same company, misrepresented as barren land, with the transaction allegedly authorized by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The Minister further alleged that Anoma Gamage, wife of former Primary Industries Minister Daya Gamage, received 140 million rupees purportedly for an agricultural project, which was never executed.

These allegations were presented during the debate on the expenditure head of the Ministry of Plantations and Community Infrastructure.

He also stated that former Navy Commander Wasantha Karannagoda was granted 180 million rupees for a cultivation project, and that 82 million rupees were given to the son of former Ministry Secretary Bandula Wickramarachchi for a similar initiative.