Colombo Additional Magistrate Manjula Rathnayake issued yesterday (April 21) a conditional injunction order against 05 individuals, including the Municipal Commissioner of the Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte Municipal Council.

The order prohibits the use of loudspeakers or sound amplification equipment that causes excessive noise during events held at the Angampitiya Sports Grounds.

This conditional court order follows a private lawsuit filed by several residents of the Angampitiya  area – Shehan Dushanta de Silva, Shamini Alwis, Glen Mathew, Asanka Sanjeewa Karunaratne, and K.A.O.S. Kuruppu.

Noting that they do not object to the holding of events, they had sought a court order to prevent public nuisance caused by the excessive noise.

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.