The local government polls have been postponed further through a gazette notification issued by the district returning officers.

The gazette notification says it is not possible to hold the LG polls on April 25 as the Treasury is yet to release the funds required for the election.

The LG polls were first postponed from the originally fixed date of March 09.

Inspector General of Police (IGP) C.D. Wickramaratne was among a number of policemen and politicians who met former President Mahinda Rajapaksa to greet him for the Sinhala and Tamil New Year.

Rajapaksa’s office posted images on social media of some of those who visited him at his residence to greet him for the New Year.

Among those seen greeting the former President and having a conversation with him was IGP Wickramaratne.

Former Navy Commander Wasantha Karannagoda was also pictured meeting the former President.

A number of other policemen and Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MPs, including Cabinet Ministers, also visited the residence of Mahinda Rajapaksa and greeted him for the traditional New Year.

The Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka has issued a statement clarifying that the Chinese National Wildlife and Grassland Administration Unit has not received any application for the importation of 100,000 rilawas from Sri Lanka.

The statement also notes that the unit has no knowledge of a request for the importation of 100000 rilawas from Sri Lanka. The Chinese National Wildlife and Grassland Administration Unit is responsible for monitoring and managing the import and export of wild animals and plants to and from China, and permission must be granted by the unit for such activities.

The embassy’s statement comes in response to reports in local and international media claiming that Sri Lanka was ready to export 100,000 endangered relaws to a Chinese private company for research. The Sri Lankan Minister of Agriculture, Mahinda Amaraweera, has previously made clarifications on the matter.

The Chinese Embassy has made inquiries to the National Wildlife and Grassland Administration Unit to address the issue.

Environmentalist Nayanaka Ranwella said today that according to investigations conducted by them, the government is planning to send 100,000 monkeys to China for their brains to be eaten raw while they are still alive.

The issue of exporting monkeys to China had become the main topic in the country. However, according to the Wildlife Protection Act, there are no legal provisions to export a large number of wild animals to other countries.

“According to the Act, our country cannot export animals for money as we have signed an agreement not to engage in the sale of wild animals.

“Exporting wild animals will not help in bringing in foreign exchange. However, it has been reported that the wife of a senior official of the Coconut Development Board has been involved behind the scenes with this program,” Ranwell said.

Moreover, he said that a special meal preparation method is underway in China, which involves eating the monkeys’ brains in the raw while they are still alive.

Also, it was reported that an order for a large number of monkeys was received from America as well. These monkeys have a similar body structure to that of the humans, so they would be used in laboratories to conduct final medical tests.

Ranwella requested the government not to export the monkeys, but insted to take a decision to export the parliamentarians who have ruined the country.

“Because of these monkeys a large share of crops are being destroyed. But exporting them is not a solution. We have already proposed solutions to protect the crops, but none in the government are even prepared to listen to them,” Ranwella added.

Representatives from the administrative body of the Vedukkunaari mountain temple and several Hindu organisations from Vavuniya met with the High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka to discuss issues related to threats to the temple.

The administrative body of the Athi Lingeswaran Temple shared concerns about the destruction and vandalism of idols in their temple, obstacles presented by the Archaeological Department to replace and reconsecrate the idols, and ongoing Sinhala colonisation of various villages on the border of the Northern provinces with the High Commissioner. They also presented documentation detailing these issues over the past few years.

The temple administration reported that the High Commissioner promised to address these issues in relevant forums to resolve them amicably and as soon as possible.