www.themorning.lk Late City VOL 01 | NO 13 | Rs. 30.00 { WEDNESDAY } WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2021 GODS, DEVAS, WI TOUR TO BE YAKAS, AND DEMONS REARRANGED AS A IN POP ART LIMITED-OVER SERIES? ECT: HANGING FROM MANUFACTURING A GEOPOLITICAL COACHES: EVALUATION NOOSE COMMITTEE APPOINTED »SEE PAGE 11 »SEE PAGE 5 »SEE PAGE 7 »SEE PAGE 16 ALLEGED ‘DEFORESTATION’ OF VEDDA LANDS Vaccine gap may CEA terms it ‘a political problem’ become 12 weeks BY PAMODI WARAVITA – cultivates maize on lands yesterday (9), CEA Chairman z Time between 1st and z Immunisation Advisory z Second vaccination The Central Environmental that are also in reality the Siripala Amarasinghe said Authority (CEA) is of the dwelling places of the veddas, that the CEA has given 2nd doses 4 weeks now Group mulls lengthening essential view that if the Mahaweli the country’s indigenous first permission to the Mahaweli BY DINITHA RATHNAYAKE “The National Immunisation National Institute of Infectious Diseases Authority – to which it nation people, then such Authority to cultivate maize The National Immunisation Technical Advisory Group Technical Advisory Group is discussing Hospital (IDH) senior consultant has granted permission to would constitute a “political in lands that do not have a is considering extending the gap between the first and the matter. A second vaccination is physician Dr. Ananda Wijewickrama cultivate maize in lands that problem”. forest cover. second doses of Covid-19 vaccines from four weeks to absolutely essential because it triggers told The Morning yesterday (9). do not have a forest cover Speaking to The Morning Contd. on page 2 12 weeks, The Morning learnt. the necessary immune response,” Contd. on page 2 ESTATE WORKERS’ DAILY WAGE SHAKTHIKA DISCHARGED FROM MC CASE Plan to credit migrant workers’ Govt. lambasted for Writer to file malicious earnings directly to EPF BY MIHI PERERA Nimal Siripala de Silva stated in Wages Board route The Government plans to Parliament yesterday (9). prosecution claims sign a new agreement to credit He said that many Sri Lankan zRPCs could sue zShould have amended the provident funds of migrant workers were working in various and delay: NPP Minimum Wage Act: SJB z Damages sought from Polgahawela Police and monks workers directly to the Employees’ fields in countries such as India Provident Fund (EPF) of Sri and Bangladesh, BY PAMODI WARAVITA Wages Board’s decision and BY RUWAN LAKNATH JAYAKODY legal action to institute filed at the Polgahawela Lanka, Minister of Labour Contd. on page 3 The Government has left the issue drags on?” questioned AND PAMODI WARAVITA malicious prosecutions Magistrate’s Court (MC) by the door open for the issue National People’s Power (NPP) Writer Shakthika claims, seeking damages in the Polgahawela Police, after of plantation sector workers’ parliamentarian Vijitha Herath Sathkumara, who was the form of compensation the latter submitted a report minimum wage to be dragged on during the Parliament debate enlarged on bail following from the Polgahawela Police from the Attorney General’s by resorting to the Wages Board yesterday. his arrest and detention in Station that filed the case (AG) Department, where the without amending the National Shortly after, Samagi Jana remand over the alleged against him as well as the AG had decided not to indict Minimum Wage of Workers Balawegaya (SJB) MP Dr. Harsha propagation of religious Buddhist monks who lodged and prosecute Sathkumara Act of 2016, Opposition lawmakers de Silva pointed out that the hatred and insult of a religion/ a complaint against him at the and was of the opinion alleged in Parliament yesterday (9). Government could have enacted religious beliefs of a class Polgahawela Police Station. that Sathkumara should be “The Government is shying the Minimum Wage Act of 2016 of persons, is presently Sathkumara was discharged discharged from the matter. away from taking the responsibility as a simple solution to this issue considering taking necessary yesterday (9) from the case Contd. on page 3 to make a decision by going to instead of circling around and the Wages Board. What if the taking time with the Wages Board. planters go to courts against the Contd. on page 3 WP schools, preschools SUMANTHIRAN’S STF SECURITY DETAIL REMOVAL ‘If something reopen from 15th z All schools islandwide to reopen from 15 March: Edu Minister happens to me, BY HIRANYADA DEWASIRI these schools will be presented Prof. Peiris added that all Health authorities have to the Director General schools islandwide would granted approval for all of Health Services and reopen on 15 March. Govt. responsible’ schools in the the Gampaha permission will be obtained Meanwhile, following and Kalutara Districts of the from the health authorities directives allowing all z Public Security Minister Dr. Weerasekera Western Province to reopen to take necessary action to preschools in the Western ordered STF security detail removal on 15 February, Minister of reopen schools in Colombo,” Province except those in Education Prof. G.L. Peiris the Minister said. high-risk areas to reopen BY HIRANYADA DEWASIRI the parliamentarian said in said yesterday (9). It was revealed that all on 15 February, divisional Following the withdrawal of the Parliament yesterday (9) that Furthermore, provincial schools in the areas of co-ordinating committees of Special Task Force (STF) security the Government should take co-ordinating committees have Thimbirigasyaya, Kolonnawa, each division are to decide accorded to Illankai Tamil Arasu responsibility if anything should declared that 412 schools out Homagama, Kesbewa, whether to reopen their Kachchi (ITAK) member and happen to him. of 492 schools in the Colombo Dehiwala, Moratuwa, and respective preschools, The MP M.A. Sumanthiran PC, Contd. on page 2 District are safe to be reopened. Seethawaka had been declared Morning learnt. “The proposal to reopen safe to reopen. Contd. on page 3 COVID-19 CASES CABINET MEETING ON EASTER REPORT TODAY Rathana Thera moves TOTAL CASES Probes and materials bill to repeal MMDA ACTIVE CASES BY RUWAN LAKNATH JAYAKODY incomplete: AG tells IGP Ape Jana Bala Pakshaya (Our Power 70,806 BY MIHI PERERA AND DINITHA RATHNAYAKE attacks scheduled for today (10). of People Party) National List MP Ven. The Attorney General (AG) has According to Co-ordinating Athuraliye Rathana Thera yesterday (9) moved informed the Inspector General Officer to the AG State Counsel a private member bill to repeal the Muslim DEATHS RECOVERED of Police (IGP) yesterday (9) Nishara Jayaratne, the AG has Marriage and Divorce Act (MMDA) No. 13 5,386 that criminal investigations and also directed the IGP to conduct of 1951 as amended. 365 65,053 materials submitted in respect of further investigations and submit The first reading of the bill, titled the “Muslim SOURCE: HEALTH PROMOTION BUREAU the Easter Sunday bomb attacks the material called for without Marriage and Divorce (Repeal) Act”, was held THE ABOVE STATISTICS ARE CONFIRMED UP UNTIL 7.50 P.M. ON 09 FEBRUARY 2021 are incomplete, just a day ahead delay. yesterday in Parliament. of a crucial cabinet meeting on the Contd. on page 2 Contd. on page 2 42 www.themorning.lk { NEWS } Wednesday, February 10, 2021 Contd. from page 1 Director General D. Gunapala told The seeks to include the bride’s consent. unnecessarily detained innocent persons. Vaccine... Morning that since the relevant land Rathana... Furthermore, Peiris said that a proposal Third, which is the most sinister, is that We are considering having a 12-week is within the areas gazetted under the Previously on 26 August 2020, Sri has been made to stipulate the minimum by withdrawing my security, they have gap for the second dose,” he added. Mahaweli Authority of Sri Lanka Act, Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MP required educational qualifications and a given a signal to those who would now Generally, a longer gap between Covid they are permitted to use it. He further Premitha Bandara Tennakoon handed over maximum age limit for Quazis. “Only a act against my life, so if anything should vaccine doses leads to a better immune mentioned that the land had been given to to the Secretary General of Parliament lawyer or a degree holder of a recognised happen, the Government must then take response with the second dose causing private companies on a one-year lease. three private member bills which had university can be a Quazi and he or she the responsibility for that,” he further a better boost, Dr. Wijewickrama said, Previously on Monday (8), the Chief of previously been presented to the Eighth should be below 65 years of age,” Peiris expounded in Parliament. adding that the second dose is currently set the indigenous veddas, Uruwarige Wannila Parliament by then Parliamentary Sectoral further said. Sumanthiran further claimed that the 30 to be administered four weeks after the first Aththo, and the Centre for Environmental Oversight Committee on Women and On 6 January, Minister of Justice arrests made of suspects were not due to dose. However, health officials are now Justice (CEJ) filed a petition with the Gender Chairperson and United National President’s Counsel (PC) M.U.M. Ali complaints made by him, and that he was considering having a longer gap. Court of Appeal against the alleged Party (UNP) MP Dr. Thusitha Wijemanne. Sabry said in Parliament that measures are unaware of any threats before said arrests According to Dr. Wijewickrama, the illegal deforestation at the Rambakan Oya These bills sought to introduce 18 years being taken to prevent underage marriages were made by the Police. National Immunisation Technical Advisory Reservoir near the Pollebedda village, a as the minimum age of marriage for all by reforming the Muslim matrimonial law. However, speaking during a television Group would be able to give a decision traditional homeland of the veddas, by the (Minimum Age of Marriage Bill), and to “Muslim underage marriages should be programme on Monday (8) night, Minister regarding the matter within two weeks.