SLMC CONTROVERSY MEDICAL COMMUNITY DIVIDED RS. 70.00 PAGES 80 / SECTIONS 7 VOL. 03 – NO. 10 SUNDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2020 GOVT. TRYING Q2, Q3 GDP RENEWABLE ENERGY DATA NEXT SECTOR: AN TO NAVIGATE WEEK UNSOLICITED PROBLEM CHOPPY WATERS »SEE PAGE 5 »SEE BUSINESS PAGE 1 »SEE PAGE 3 »SEE PAGES 8 & 9 GENERAL PREVENTIVE GUIDELINES For verified information on the coronavirus (Covid-19) contact any of the following authorities Suwasariya Ambulance Service 1999 Health Promotion Bureau Quarantine Unit 0112 112 705 1990 Epidemiology Unit 0112 695 112 Govt. coronavirus hotline 0113071073 PRESIDENTIAL SPECIAL TASK FORCE FOR ESSENTIAL SERVICES Telephone 0114354854, 0114733600 Wash hands with soap for 40-60 Wear a commercially available mask/ Maintain a minimum distance Use gloves when shopping, using Use traditional Sri Lankan greeting Always wear a mask, avoid crowded Hotline 0113456200-4 seconds, or rub hands with alcohol- cloth mask or a surgical mask at all of 1 metre from others, especially public transport, etc. and discard into at all times instead of handshaking, vehicles, maintain distance, and wash Fax 0112333066, 0114354882 based handrub for 20-30 seconds times in public places in public places a lidded bin lined with a bag hugging, and/or kissing hands before and after travelling Email [email protected] GREATER COLOMBO POWER PROJECT Goodbye Japan, welcome China z Beijing to fund power project after JICA leaves z $ 50 m loan in final stage of negotiation BY MAHEESHA MUDUGAMUWA The project is the urgently needed confident the discussions would halted by the Japan International the other hand, is a multilateral “Greater Colombo Transmission be finalised soon and the project Co-operation Agency (JICA), a development bank headquartered The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) is in the final stage of negotiating a $ 50 million loan from Beijing-based Asian Infrastructure and Distribution Loss Reduction would commence as soon funds are Japanese governmental agency in Beijing. It began operations in Investment Bank (AIIB) for a major power project which was Project Phase II”, and CEB Chairman mobilised. He expects construction that delivers the bulk of official January 2015 and now has 103 abandoned by Japan, following the Government’s cancellation of Eng. Vijitha Herath told The Sunday to be completed within two years. development assistance for the approved members worldwide. the Colombo Light Rail Transit (LRT) Project. Morning on Friday (04) that he is Funding for the project was Government of Japan. AIIB, on Contd. on page 2 Nowhere to go MAHENDRAN’S EXTRADITION STATUS PUCSL still Still pending: AG BY LAHIRU POTHMULLA Lanka’s extradition request of operational Arjuna Mahendran in the The Attorney General (AG) Bond Scam case, said AG’s z Closure not provided a note of clarification Co-ordinating Secretary on Friday (4) to the Singapore Nishara Jayaratne. communicated officially Attorney General on Sri Contd. on page 2 It is business as usual at the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL), despite President’s Secretary Dr. P.B. Jayasundera directing the Treasury Secretary to close down the regulator of the country’s electricity industry last week, The Sunday Morning learnt. Contd. on page 2 SRI LANKA RAILWAYS Lokuge causes massive losses? The Slave Island Railway Station was deserted on Friday (4) as the Station Master had contracted Covid-19 z Reduced charge per km for a friend PHOTO PRADEEP DAMGARAGE z Goods transfer due to losses: Minister OFFICIAL POVERTY LINE TRILINGUAL POLICY VIOLATION Transport Minister Gamini Lokuge has allegedly Creeps over Rs. 5,000 changed the Railway Ordinance on behalf of a z friend who is engaged in transporting sand from Economists suggest cap on inflation Unable to Batticaloa to Colombo by a special freight train, Sri Lanka’s Official Poverty month of October marked at causing huge losses to the Railway Department, Line (OPL) national average Rs. 5,091, the Department of the All Ceylon Railway General Employees’ Union has shot above Rs. 5,000 Census and Statistics (DCS) act says (ACRGEU) alleged last week. for the eighth time, with data revealed. Contd. on page 2 the national average for the Contd. on page 2 Ministry HOTEL IN MUTHURAJAWELA z Action only if CAPITAL HEIGHTS complaints are made CAPITALRS. 34 MILLION HEIGHTS Approval to The Ministry of Public Services, RS. 34 MILLION Provincial Councils, and Local UPWARDS Government stated that it is not UPWARDS conduct study in a position to take action over Claims of a 600-acre land expanse from the signboards that depict writings in Muthurajawela Wetlands being earmarked for foreign languages in violation of the CAPITAL HEIGHTSa hotel and golf course project is being refuted trilingual policy. RS. 34 MILLIONby the Environment Minister. Contd. on page 2 VISIT OUR Contd. on page 2 UPWARDSWEBSITE CAPITALVISIT HEIGHTS+94 OUR 763112233 WILDLIFE AND FOREST DESTRUCTION RS.35SHOW APARTMENT MILLIONWEBSITE UPWARDSRS. 34 MILLION READY FOR INSPECTION UPWARDS Penal Code to be amended PROJECT NEARING+94 763112233 COMPLETION VISIT OURz Penalties to increase z Drone tech to assist monitoring SHOW APARTMENT WEBSITE Conservation revealed. “Penalties for deforestation, BY SARAH HANNAN VISIT OUR Speaking to The Sunday setting forests on fire, and +94 763112233WEBSITE The penalties imposed Morning, Minister of Wildlife laying traps to hunt wild READY FOR INSPECTION SHOW APARTMENT www.capitalheights.lk SHOW APARTMENT +94 763112233 on wildlife and forest and Forest Conservation animals are to be increased. READY FORREADY INSPECTION FOR INSPECTION destruction are to be C.B. Rathnayake said the We have initiated discussions PROJECT NEARING COMPLETION amended in the Penal Code present penalties that are on increasing these penalties,” PROJECT NEARINGPROJECT NEARING COMPLETION COMPLETION of Sri Lanka, the Ministry drafted in the Penal Code will said Rathnayake. of Wildlife and Forest be changed. Contd. on page 2 2 the sunday morning FOCUS/NEWS Sunday, December 6, 2020 INCREASING CLEAN DRINKING WATER CAPACITY Another move to break poverty cycle BY SKANDHA GUNASEKARA clean drinking water. as wells. We will also implement from wells and other domestic development of the country, demand several projects had either begun or “Another significant aspect is a mechanism to monitor and test sources that are operational.” for proper tap water supplies had had been completed in various parts The Government aims to the need to protect sources of clean underground water sources. At He said the Government would increased. of the country. provide clean drinking drinking water, as without a water present, there is no such mechanism. not be profit-minded in dispensing “There are some places where He then went on to speak on the water supply to over 75% of source, there cannot be supply. So, We still don’t even know how much this essential service but would come wells become unusable, so there is importance and need to curb waste the population by the end before we speak of water supply, underground water is available. We down hard on anyone exploiting the a serious demand for water supply. being dumped into waterways. of its term, including the we must give prominence to the must also put in place a method to system and illegally obtaining water. We have a responsibility to meet “Another duty we have is to clean establishment of desalination topic of water conservation. We control the utilisation of groundwater “Supplying water is not a business this demand and we must prepare to waste disposals from the water plants and new efforts to will take steps to identify and sources. Currently, anyone can dig a but a service that the Government supply water to all the people across networks. On average, each district conserve water sources. proclaim sources of water, strictly well and obtain any amount of water provides. So, profits and losses the various parts of the country. secretariat division has over 500 implement laws to protect and when and where they please for are not relevant in this regard, but We have to do this within our households without proper sanitation Minister of Water Supply safeguard water sources, and we various purposes like factory work or there is an amount of water that Government’s term of five years, and and toilet facilities. They have at the Vasudeva Nanayakkara, speaking to will also take steps to remove flora for plantation.” is taken from this service without we have just four years left.” most, primitive squatting latrines. The Sunday Morning, emphasised and fauna that is harmful to sources He said that the best target would remuneration and that is through He asserted that the Government The more such unsanitary toilets are the importance of clean drinking of clean water and instead, promote be to achieve 100% water supply leakages, illegal water tapping, and had a masterplan for the next four built, the more waste is disposed into water to the socioeconomic status of the planting of species that protect in the country but expects to have other methods. We must stop such years. our groundwater sources, causing a nation and the need to locate and water.” covered 75% in the next four years. wastage. In the city of Colombo “We will look to complete pollution. Also, rivers that flow protect sources of clean drinking He said that plans are being drawn “Presently, we have about 47% alone, we saw 40% of the water 44 short-term projects as fast as through cities, such as the Kelani water. up to introduce ways to locate and from the National Water Supply being supplied in such a manner possible. We also expect to add River, end up becoming polluted “Water, similar to education test underground water sources and and Drainage Board (NWSDB) and without the NWSDB receiving any 525,000 new water supply lines by as well.