Author: TELO Admin

The SLPP will expel its members who act against party decisions irrespective of their positions, said its general secretary Sagara Kariyawasam in a letter.

The party’s politburo has taken the decision unanimously, he said.

It comes in the wake of some party politicians having decided to support incumbent Ranil Wickremesinghe at the presidential polls.

State minister Piyal Nishantha is one of the recipients of the said letter.

He said they would not fear any such letters, adding that their decision was based on the services rendered by the president to the county.

India’s INS Shalki, a diesel-electric submarine commissioned in 1992 arrived in Sri Lanka’s Colombo port on August 02 and will depart on August 04.

“The visit is an Operational Turn Around (OTR), wherein the submarine will replenish fuel and provisions,” India’s embassy in Colombo said.

“The crew will recuperate and have the opportunity of visiting places of interest in Sri Lanka.”

The Commanding officer was due to call on Sri Lanka’s Western Naval Area Rear Admiral WDCU Kumarasinghe and 50 Sri Lanka naval personnel was to visit the submarine.

INS Shalki was the first submarine to be build in India, the statement said.

Sumbarines INS Karaj had visited Colombo in February 2024 and INS Vagir had visited Colombo in June 2023.

Sri Lanka has shut a electronic visa application site run by consortium involving companies called VFS Global, IVS and GBS, after a court order suspended the the contract awarded without competitive tender.

“We have been notified of certain interim orders issued by the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka today pertaining to the agreement under which this platform is operated,” a statement on front page of the website said.

“In view of these orders, the website is suspended effective 2 August at 17:00 hours Sri Lanka Standard Time.”

The Department of Immigration continued to issue on arrival visas physically to tourists from eligible countries, airport officials said.

Court also ordered the status quo that prevailed before April 18, when the site was operated by Mobitel, a domestic company.

There was no immediate information on when the old site would be restored. Department sources said a decision is likely to be taken next week.

Mobitel was charging one dollar for the service while VFS Global was charging different prices ranging from 10 dollars to 18.5 dollars and more depending on the category of visa.

Sri Lanka will address the scarcity of safe drinking water in its north by finally starting on its long-touted “River for Jaffna” project, which was proposed by an engineer 70 years ago, President Ranil Wickremesinghe has said.

Wickremesinghe was speaking at the opening of the Thalaiyady Seawater Desalination Plant this morning (2).

“The establishment of this water purification plant will significantly resolve the drinking water issues in Jaffna. We also intend to commence work on the Paliaru Reservoir to provide water to the Pooneryn area,” Wickremesinghe said.

“I have also decided to launch a “River for Jaffna” program. Once both this purification plant and this program are fully implemented, the water problem in Jaffna will be completely resolved. This will help restore the Vadamarachchi area to its former lush state.”

The Jaffna peninsula is bounded by the Indian Ocean and depends on its natural limestone aquifers, but this groundwater has come under threat due to saltwater intrusion, increasing water demands, and runoff from agricultural use of nitrates.

In 1954, Engineer Arumugam, former deputy director of the Irrigation Department, proposed a River for Jaffna for the benefit of the Jaffna peninsula water resources and environment.

Over the years, the irrigation department, Mahaweli Authority, various local and foreign consultants, and international agencies have contributed to and improved the proposal.