A pod of dolphins has perished in the Wilpattu National Reserve area recently, the Department of Wildlife Conservation has stated.

According to the Department of Wildlife Conservation, 11 dolphins were found dead and revealed to be Common bottlenose dolphins.

Upon receiving a tipoff, a group of wildlife officials inspected the area and filed details before the Puttalam Magistrate court.

It is suspected that they had died after entangling in a fishing net and samples have been submitted to the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine & Animal Science of Peradeniya University. The report in this regard is yet to be submitted.

(Source & pics : Department of Wildlife Conservation)

The members of Trishaw Operators Associations in Dambulla, Sigiriya, and Habarana areas yesterday staged a massive protect against the arrest of six trishaw drivers on charges of assaulting a car driver transporting a tourist and over robbery of a gold chain.

The six suspects taken into custody had been produced in court and remanded.

The protesters said the complainant was a former soldier of the army who had had forwarded nominations to contest the election to Thambuttegama Pradeshiya Sabha representing the National People’s Power (NPP)

They said he had clashed for two days with the trishaw operators in Dambulla town when transporting a tourist in his car and behaved in an unruly manner claiming that he was a supporter of the government.

They pointed out that he had later made a false complaint to the IGP that he was assaulted and robbed him of his gold chain that resulted in the arrest of six trishaw operators who were produced in court and remanded.

The protesters said by allowing individuals from other areas to operate taxi services in Dambulla town would result in the loss of livelihood of hundreds of trishaw operators in the area.

They accused the police of arbitrary arrest of six trishaw drivers at the instigation of senior police officials, without a formal investigation of the complaint made by an individual who had forwarded nominations to contest the local government election under the banner of the NPP.

They said they did not expect the government of political favour to its supporters in this manner and political interference.

They requested the IGP to hold formal investigations based on data on CCTV and to mete out justice.

Dambulla police had deployed a police contingent to step up security in the town.

(DailyMirror)

This story and photos, originally published by DailyMirror have not been edited by SLM staff

The first unit in the country dedicated to bone marrow and blood cell transplantation for children with cancer was inaugurated today (Jan. 02) at the Apeksha Hospital in Maharagama. 

The construction of this unit was funded by donations from the historic Ruhunu Maha Kataragama Devalaya and carried out by the Sri Lanka Air Force.

This new unit provides an opportunity for a large number of children with cancer to receive timely and advanced treatments, which previously required traveling abroad at a cost of millions of rupees. 

The unit has the capacity to treat four children simultaneously, offering hope and improved healthcare outcomes for young patients.

Venerable Kobawaka Dhamminda Thero, Chief Incumbent of Kirivehera Temple, expressed his gratitude, stating, “The funds donated by devotees to seek the blessings of the Kataragama deity have now been transformed into this hospital. I believe that the hundreds of thousands of people who contributed will be very happy to know that they have also played a part in this noble cause.”

Dishan Gunasekara, Basnayake Nilame of Ruhunu Maha Kataragama Devalaya, highlighted the transparency and growth in temple transactions, noting, “When I became the Basnayake Nilame, the temple’s income was around 50 million rupees. Last year, it exceeded 400 million rupees, an eightfold increase. With the funds available, we were able to construct this building and are currently upgrading the Kataragama Hospital with a new complex of 44 beds, which is 80% complete.”

(Excerpts : News1st / Pics : Facebook page of Ruhunu Maha Kataragama Dewalaya)