in brief

SL Navy hosts IONS seminar

The Sri Lanka Navy will host the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS Technical Seminar 2009) at Taj Samudra, from May21st to 22nd.Delegates from thirty four Navies of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) are expected to participate at the seminar.

The theme of the seminar is Practical Co-Operative Mechanism for Technical Support within the Indian Ocean.The inaugural session of the Indian Naval Symposium will be at 9 a.m. on 21st May and the closing ceremony will be at 3 p.m. on May 22nd.

Hot weather till SW monsoon rains

Mohammed NAALIR

The Meteorology Department predicted that the prevailing hot weather condition will continue until the end this month till the start of the South Western Monsoon.

Deputy Meteorologist Cementa de Silva told the Sunday Observer that rain is expected in the Western Province, Galle and Matara Districts during the morning hours these days. There may be thundershowers during the evening or night hours in other parts of the country.

Heavy winds could also be accompanied with the rains, Silva added.

He said that that maximum temperature of 37.4 celsius was recorded in Vavuniya last Monday.He cautioned the public to be vigilant of possible thunder and lightning.

Use electricity sparingly: Minister

by Ananda KANNANGARA

Power and Energy Minister W.D.J. Seneviratne yesterday focused special attention on several reports regarding the present power failures which occur very often at many places during this period and assured that the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) will not resort to any official power cut until further notice.

"However, due to the current power distribution system, implemented by the CEB with its new technology, about 20 to 30 minutes `auto' power cuts could happen some days during the peak hours between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m.," Minister Seneviratne told the `Sunday Observer'."Although the country needs 28 million electricity units a day, at present 20 million units are generated from fuel and the remaining eight million is from hydro power stations," he said.

Saving animals from slaughter

K.A. Perera ,Wadduwa Special Corr.

Individual Buddhist and some Buddhist Associations in the country have begun campaigns throughout the island to save animals from slaughter by buying them from the butchers.

It is a meritorious deed to save the lives of not only cattle or any animals as it is the noblest deed of Buddhists. With that high ideal and with a wonderful act of compassion, the Bodhi Trust, Kalutara took the initiative to save the lives of fifty head of cattle closer to the premises of the Bodhi at Kalutara on Vesak Full Moon Day.

Cattle to be released for Poson

Dehiwela YMBA will release over 100 head of cattle to mark Poson Full Moon Poya Day which falls on June 7. Last year too several head of cattle brought to the slaughter houses, were released at the YMBA premises in Dehiwela and handed over to dairy farmers.

The YMBA request those interested in this meritorious acts to contribute to the Dehiwela YMBA.

Disease prevention program launched

Victor MARAMBAGE, Talawa group correspondent

`An extensive program has been launched for the prevention of renal failure, diabetes, high blood pressure, osteoporosis and heart attacks in Talawa area by the Hela Weda Punaruda special disease prevention program of the Ministry of Indigenous Medicine.

The program is a concept of the Minister Tissa Karaliyadda, Talawa Health Promotion Officer Atula Keerthi Dissanayake told the ‘Sunday Observer’.

Under this program an awareness program and counselling is conducted in the area.

The people are advised not to use aluminium utensils, chemical fertilizer, to drink boiled cool water, to use food produced by using carbonic fertilizer, on good dietary habits and observing religious rites for a free mind.

SLADC notches 40 on May 22

by L.S. Ananda WEDAARACHCHI

A commemorative ceremony to mark the 40th anniversary of the Sri Lanka Ayurvedic Drugs Corporation (SLADC) will be held at the Presidential Secretariat under the auspices of President Mahinda Rajapaksa on May 22.The Managing Director SLADC Nalin Mervin Fernando said that all the employees who had completed 30 years service at the Corporation would receive a gold coin and the retired employees would be presented cash awards of Rs. 10,000.“SLADC which produces quality Ayurvedic Medicine had 12 sales centres islandwide. Ayurvedic medicine to all ayurvedic hospitals under the Ayurvedic Department in the island were being supplied by SLADC,” he said.He said that the factory was refurbished and an eighty million rupees bottling plant set up last year.