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Rs.200mn spent to distribute Indian donations!

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The Food Commissioner’s Department is spending nearly Rs.200 million to distribute essential items including food and medicines received as donations from India, the United Rice Producers Association alleged.

Its President Mudith Perera said five or six rupees more per kilogram has been paid than the standard prices charged for the transportation of one kilogram of rice.

More than Rs.180 million had been paid for the rice transported so far.

Tenders were called on June 15 to distribute 40,000 metric tons of rice, 450 metric tons of milk powder, and 4.6 metric tons of medicines received from India on two occasions in June.

Three companies have come forward as contractors. One of them had requested Rs.50 to transport one tonne per kilometer and he has been removed. The remaining two who had offered to charge only Rs.35 were selected.

Mr. Perera said that those two companies are not transport companies but rice mills owners. One mill has only one lorry that can carry 20 tons, while the other mill has only lorries that can carry less than 10 tons.

He said while Sathosa and Cooperative Societies have lorries, the tender had been offered to the two companies at almost twice the existing price ignoring standard requirements.

District secretaries buy paddy from farmers and pay between Rs.6-8 per kg to transport rice and fertiliser per one kilometer.

Mr.Perera said a 20-ton lorry charges between Rs.5 and 7 to transport a kilogram of rice from Colombo to Ampara, Polonnaruwa and other areas.

However, he said the Food Commissioner’s Department has paid nearly Rs.240,000 for the lorry that transported donated rice to Ampara.

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Indian national injured in fall along Ratnapura – Sri Pada road

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A foreigner has been injured after falling down 100 metres off the side railings along the Ratnapura – Sri Pada road in the Ehelakanuwa area.

The officers of Police Special Task Force (STF) in Maskeliya have rescued the Indian national and rushed him to the hospital.

The 25-year-old has been identified as Bharath Chandradas, a resident of Mumbai in the Indian state of Maharashtra.

The injured person has been traveling from Ratnapura to Sri Pada with another group of pilgrims when the accident occurred at around 4.45 a.m. this morning (29), the police said.

Accordingly, the officers of the Sri Pada Udamaluwa Police Post had taken steps to notify the STF of the incident, after which injured youth was brought to safety.

The group accompanying the injured Indian national has been escorted to Nallathanniya, after the incident was informed to Nallathanniya Police Station.

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

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Maithri ordered to provide statement before court

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The Maligakanda Magistrate’s Court has ordered former President Maithripala Sirisena to provide a statement to court on April 04, based on the recent comments he had made over the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings.

The order was issued today (28) after the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) had reported the relevant facts to the court, on the instructions of the Attorney General.

Mr. Sirisena had made this statement on March 22 and several factions had subsequently filed complaints with the Criminal Investigation Department in this regard.

The former President had even recorded a statement for around five-hours with the CID on Monday (March 25) over his recent comments.

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Sinopec to commence work on refinery project by June

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Minister of Power and Energy – Kanchana Wijesekera has stated that officials of the Sinopec Overseas Investment Holding Pvt Ltd (SOIHL), led by their vice President, had visited the ministry yesterday (March 27).

Tweeting, the minister added that the delegation updated on the progress of the negotiations with stakeholders for the construction of the proposed new refinery in Hambantota.

Noting that the officials indicated that the management of Sinopec has decided to double the capacity of the refinery from the original proposal and the Investment, he added that they intend to sign the agreements for the project and commence work by June 2024.

Discussions regarding the water supply, power supply, land allocation & BOI facilities will take place today with the relevant authorities, the Minister further noted.

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