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Prez against Cabinet paper by Minister on behalf of brother

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President Ranil Wickremesinghe has submitted his observations to the Cabinet over a request made by eight players, including the Cricket World Cup winning team Captain Arjuna Ranatunga, to be allowed to build and sell a housing complex by combining the land plots given to them.

The President has said in his observations that the use of land allocated for a residential project for a commercial purpose may set a bad precedent.

The President has given these observations over a Cabinet paper presented by Minister Prasanna Ranatunga on behalf of the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing.

Minister Ranatunga is the younger brother of Arjuna Ranatunga, the Captain of the 1996 Cricket World Cup winning team.

The Cabinet paper has been submitted requesting permission to combine the plots of land given separately to the eight players at Denzil Kobbekaduwa Mawatha in Battaramulla and build a housing complex.

Cabinet approval was also sought to sign a Memorandum of Understanding among the eight players or their representative, the Urban Development Authority and the company buying the housing complex.

The plan is to get all approvals within six months and complete the construction of the building within three years.

However, the transfer of ownership or sale of these plots of land which were given to the 1996 world cup winning cricketers on deeds of gift is considered legally impossible.

Through a Cabinet paper on January 22, 1997, 15 players of the 1996 World Cup winning Sri Lankan team were given 20 perches each on a vacant land in Battaramulla on a 99-year lease basis.

The then Sporst Minister S.B.Dissanayake presented the Cabinet paper.

The assessed value of a perch has been determined to be Rs.1,000 back then.

Meanwhile, seven owners have refused to give their land to this housing project.

The President has further mentioned in his observations that due to the request made by the players to build and sell a housing complex on the lands given to them, the basic purpose of giving the land has been completely changed to a commercial purpose.

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Monara TV closes down as Swarnavahini too grapples with crisis

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Monara TV, launched with much fanfare just a year ago under the Swarnavahini media network, has reportedly shut down operations.

Employees have been informed that the closure is temporary, citing the need to resolve certain administrative issues.

The channel, led by Buddhika Wickramadhara, was ceremonially launched on June 25, 2024, with a grand event at Waters Edge.

Producers who supplied teledramas to Monara TV say they are owed nearly Rs.200 million in unpaid dues.

Meanwhile, it is reported that the parent Swarnavahini TV channel is also reportedly grappling with a serious financial crisis, paying teledrama producers only after 60 episodes are broadcast.

Producers claim they are compelled to wait about 03 months to recover an investment of around Rs.15 million per teledrama. Even then, payments are made in small portions, covering just 05 episodes at a time.

Producers who supplied teledramas before the appointment of Mr. Susara Dinal as CEO say it is even harder to claim their outstanding payments, as they have been asked to recover the dues from former CEO – Udara Wijesinghe.

The Swarnavahini Media Network is owned by Subaskaran Allirajah – Chairman of Lyca Group, which also owns Lycamobile, a global telecommunications company.

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Pvt. secretary of late minister injured in shooting

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A shooting incident has been reported in Kandana this morning (July 03).

Reportedly, two people traveling in a car were shot near the Kandana Public Market.

According to reports, Sameera Manahara, who served as the private secretary of late Minister Mangala Samaraweera, has been injured in the shooting.

The two injured individuals have been admitted to the Ragama Hospital, police say.

Investigations are underway to identify and apprehend the assailants.

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Young woman brutally murdered in Kuruwita

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A young woman was found in the Dewipahala-Dodam Ella area in Kuruwita, after being brutally attacked and her gold necklace stolen

According to the police, the victim was found collapsed on the roadside with severe neck injuries caused by a sharp weapon. She was rushed to the Ratnapura Hospital but succumbed to her injuries shortly after admission.

The victim has been identified as a 26-year-old.

Arrests are yet to be made and an investigation is underway.

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