News in brief

President's tribute to Forces

Paying a tribute to the success of the Sri Lanka Military Forces President Mahinda Rajapaksa said that he is deeply grateful to them and consider them as the most disciplined Force in the world. President Rajapaksa was speaking at Seenimodera in Tangalle after presenting the Rana Setha Rana Viru Housing Complex consisting of 88 housing units.

Big onion from China

Imported big onion from China will reach Colombo later this week, according to Essential Food Importers' Association sources. Big onion would also be imported from India soon after the Deepavali Festival. The Agriculture Department said that Sri Lanka's annual consumption of big onion is around 60,000 metric tons.

Prabhakaran pays last respects

LTTE terrorist leader Velupillai Prabhakaran came out of hiding in the North to pay his last respects to his political wing leader S. P. Thamilselvan and five other slain senior members, reports from the Wanni said yesterday. Dressed in military fatigues, Prabhakaran turned up on Friday night at Thamilselvan's residence in Kilinochchi and placed a garland on the coffin, which was draped in the terrorist organisation's flag. The LTTE declared four days of 'mourning'.

Green levy to minimise pollution

The Chairman of the Sri Lanka Central Environmental Authority (CEA) Udaya Gammanpila said that the government will soon introduce a green levy to minimise environmental pollution. The green levy is to be imposed on plastic, polythene and other environmentally harmful products and high electricity consuming equipment.

Grow More Food Campaign

The National Grow More Food Campaign launched by President Mahinda Rajapaksa has made rapid strides through the Ministry of Agriculture Development and Agrarian Services said Minister Maithripala Sirisena at a seminar organised to educate officials on the Government's National Drive 'Let's Sow and Let's Grow' in Colombo on Friday. The food drive is a three-year plan launched by the Government.

Minimum room rates in city hotels

The Advisory Panel appointed by the Minister of Tourism Milinda Moragoda after a discussing with City Hotel stakeholders agreed to maintain minimum hotel room rates and improve hotel industry standards in keeping with the Tourism Development Act of 1968 amended in 1991. This minimum rate system will benefit other hotels in the country. The prevalent practice of a "net" system will not be used in the future. Instead the hotels will quote rates for room, breakfast, lunch, dinner with minimum rates determined for each category. A regulatory committee is mandated to implement and monitor that the city hotels conform to the minimum rates.