The Health Promotion Bureau of the Ministry of Health has issued several health guidelines to crowds attending the ‘Siri Dalada Vandanawa’ exposition.

Accordingly, the Bureau has urged pilgrims to do the following:

1. Drink water frequently to avoid dehydration and avoid sugary drinks.
2. Consume cooked food brought from home soon as possible. Avoid consumption if it feels spoiled.
3. If you are a person who takes daily medications (for illnesses such as epilepsy, high blood pressure, diabetes, etc.), take them on time. 
4. Keep extra medication at hand to last for a few more days.
5. If you are suffering from a long-term illness, keep a photocopy of your diagnosis or clinic card with you.
6. Keep your phone number attached into your child’s pocket or clothing.
7. When in queues, stay calm. A disturbance by a single person could result in a stampede. Let’s avoid accidents.
8. Take only essentials with you and help reduce waste. Put trash in designated bins whenever possible. Be responsible.
9. If a health issue occurs, seek immediate assistance from officials stationed along the routes or from established health centers.
10. Avoid train accidents when on trains and on train platforms. Avoid hanging from windows or carriages.
11. Drive your vehicle carefully and within designated speed limits. Drive responsibly to avoid road accidents.
12. Carry a small bar of soap or hand sanitizer to maintain your personal hygiene.
13. Use mosquito repellents (such as Citronella oil).

Today is the 05th consecutive day of the ‘Siri Dalada Vandanawa’ with the exposition to be held from 11.00am – 5.30pm.

The Constitutional Council is scheduled to convene in Parliament today (April 22) to decide on the appointment of a new Auditor General.

Several candidates have been proposed for the position, including Dharmapala Gammanpila, the most senior officer at the National Audit Office, who is currently serving as Senior Deputy Auditor General.

The Division Heads’ Forum at the department as well as the and the Joint Trade Union Confederation have urged President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to appoint Mr. Dharmapala to the position, citing that he is best suited to uphold the responsibilities of the state audit process, aligning with the government’s vision for a clean and corruption-free public administration.

They have also highlighted that the most senior qualified officer in the National Audit Office is prioritized for the Auditor General post and Mr. Dharmapala fully meets the legislative criteria as well as the required experience and expertise for the role.

They caution that appointing an external candidate to this key post could undermine public confidence in the government.

The police have issued a clarification regarding a fake letter circulating on social media.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has launched an investigation to take legal action against those spreading false information.

Police report that a letter titled “CONVICTION,” bearing the name of Acting IGP Priyantha Weerasuriya and a forged signature, is circulating on social media, claiming to be from an alleged  “Cyber Crime Headquarters, Sri Lanka.”

The police confirms that the circulating letter contains inconsistent language without legal basis, and features logos resembling the national emblem of Sri Lanka as well as the logos of the Supreme Court and Sri Lanka Police.

The police have clarified that there is no institution named “Cyber Crime Headquarters Colombo, Sri Lanka,” and that the designations and content in the letter are false, distorted, and not issued by the SL Police.

The police further stated that the letter seems to have been deliberately crafted to discredit the Sri Lanka Police and mislead the public.