BILLIONS IN LOSSES CUSTOMS FRIED BY PALM OIL IMPORTERS SLPP-SLFP RS. 70.00 PAGES 80 / SECTIONS 7 VOL. 03 – NO. 11 SUNDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2020 HIT BY SHORT-CIRCUITING NEW FUEL THE POWER FORMULA ALLIANCE SECTOR? COMING SOON BLUES »SEE PAGE 4 »SEE PAGE 3 »SEE BUSINESS PAGE 1 »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] RUWANPURA EXPRESSWAY Ministry mulls noble violation? z Maga submits lowest bids for Ruwanpura Expressway z Only entitled to one section under tender conditions BY MAHEESHA MUDUGAMUWA expressway. However, according to the bids submitted by other companies expedited, considering the delay faced calculated and then a loan would be the tender conditions, one company are nowhere near as low as the bids by the project during the past few applied from state banks to raise the The Ministry of Highways is likely to seek special permission could bid only for one section of the submitted by Maga Engineering. years. The project would commence necessary funds,” the RDA official said, from the Cabinet to repeal certain tender conditions in order entire expressway project. Hence, prior to seeking approval soon after the contractors are finalised, adding that the project has not been to award the construction of all four sections of Phase I of the Therefore, if the RDA is going from the Cabinet, the Ministry is the source stressed. delayed under the present Government. long-delayed Ruwanpura Expressway to Maga Engineering ahead with awarding tenders, as per planning to negotiate with the other However, as learnt by The Sunday When asked for the reasons behind (Pvt.) Ltd. which submitted the lowest bids. the tender conditions, Maga would companies that have submitted low Morning, the funds for the project Maga’s low rates, the RDA source be shut out of three sections despite bids to see if they could match the have not yet been finalised and the stressed that they have cut down the In fact, Maga had submitted bids Authority (RDA) told The Sunday submitting the lowest bids. prices, the RDA source elaborated. estimates are yet to be calculated after machinery cost and that they already 25% lower than the engineer’s estimate Morning on Friday (11). Therefore, the Government is The source added that the proposals concluding the tender process. possess most of the infrastructure of the project, a highly informed It is learnt that Maga has submitted likely to incur a loss of around Rs. were now being finalised by the “Once the contractor is selected, needed for the project. source at the Road Development bids for all four sections of the 10 billion from the entire project, as Ministry and the process had been the total cost of the project would be Contd. on page 2 SUGAR TAX CUT Prioritising protection Facing unsavoury SL still on allegations z Trade Ministry not referred: Minister MCC list z The Government has been parties alleged that the US Embassy confirms MCC meeting criticised for its inability to Government is fulfilling a need BY LAHIRU POTHMULLA is on the 15th of this month in reduce the market price of sugar of a few businessmen while Washington DC,” US Embassy even though it had cut off the incurring billion-rupee losses Despite reports to the contrary, Spokesperson Nancy VanHorn sugar tax by almost 100%. due to the tax reduction. Sri Lanka remains on the told The Sunday Morning when The Opposition political Contd. on page 2 agenda for this week’s meeting contacted on Friday (11). of the Millennium Challenge However, she added that the Corporation (MCC) Board, The US Embassy could not speculate Sunday Morning learnt. on board decisions when asked Prison land for “Sri Lanka is on the agenda about the likely outcome of the for the upcoming meeting of the meeting. mixed development MCC Board. I believe the meeting Contd. on page 2 A 40-acre plot of land owned by Authority (UDA) for a mixed- NEW MANNING MARKET COMPLEX the Department of Prisons, where development project, according the Welikada Prison Complex is to UDA Director General (DG) All set for tomorrow situated at present, would be taken Prasad Ranaweera. z Shop allocation issue sorted over by the Urban Development Contd. on page 2 Workers donning personal protective equipment (PPE) prior to handling the bodies of the Covid-19 dead in preparation for cremation on Thursday (10) The New Manning Market p.m. tomorrow (14), the Urban RAMBAKAN OYA RESERVE DESTRUCTION PHOTO LALITH PERERA COVID-19 Complex in Oliyamulla, Development Authority (UDA) Peliyagoda is to open for revealed. Probe launched by Ministry wholesale purchasers from 4 Contd. on page 2 The Ministry of Environment falls under the purview of the Special vaccine meeting tomorrow has launched an investigation into Mahaweli Authority of Sri Lanka A special meeting chaired vaccines that areCAPITAL yet to receive store the new vaccines such as HEIGHTS the alleged deforestation that has (MASL). Yet, we have launched an by State Minister of Covid- approval from the World the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine, taken place on the right-side border investigation to find out whether 19 Prevention Dr. Sudarshini Health Organisation (WHO). which is found to be 90% CAPITALRS. 34 MILLION HEIGHTS of the Rambakan Oya Reservoir, land areas belonging to forest Fernandopulle will be held The Sunday Morning learnt effective, as it needs to be RS. 34 MILLION The Sunday Morning learnt. reserves too have been destroyed.” tomorrow (14) with virologists that the country at present refrigerated at a -70 to -80 UPWARDS “The land that has been utilised Contd. on page 2 and other specialists to discuss does not have enough degrees temperature. UPWARDS the latest developments of the infrastructure facilities to Contd. on page 2 PARK AND RIDE CAPITAL HEIGHTS RS. 34 MILLION A green deposit VISIT OUR z Deposit to be charged on UPWARDSWEBSITE Back on the road quarter bottles of booze VISIT OUR CAPITAL HEIGHTS+94 763112233 The Ministry of Environment directed that liquor RS.35SHOW APARTMENT MILLIONWEBSITE UPWARDSRS. 34 MILLION companies should charge a deposit of at least Rs. 10 READY FOR INSPECTION UPWARDS for quarter bottles (185 ml) of liquor to encourage +94 763112233 VISIT OUR next month consumers to return the empty bottles and to reduce PROJECT NEARING COMPLETION WEBSITE BY SARAH HANNAN Regulation, Bus Transport Services is planning to travel to the inner environmentalSHOW pollution. APARTMENT and Train Compartments, and Motor sections of Colombo could park Speaking to The Sunday Morning, Minister of VISIT OUR +94 763112233WEBSITE The once piloted and failed Car Industry revealed. their vehicle and then board a Environment Mahinda Amaraweera said: “We have READY FOR INSPECTION SHOW APARTMENT www.capitalheights.lk “Park and Ride” facility is to “The initiative will start from shuttle service from Kottawa proposed that a deposit fee should be introduced for the SHOW APARTMENT +94 763112233 be recommenced from January the Makumbura Multimodal to Colombo,” State Minister 185 ml bottle from liquor companies, as we found that READY FORREADY INSPECTION FOR INSPECTION 2021 onwards, this time from the Transport Hub, where whoever Dilum Amunugama told The the irresponsiblePROJECT disposal ofNEARING such plastic/glass bottles COMPLETION is Makumbura Multimodal Transport is driving their personal vehicle Sunday Morning. contributing towards the increasing amount of waste.” PROJECT NEARINGPROJECT NEARING COMPLETION COMPLETION Hub, the State Ministry of Vehicle on the Southern Expressway and Contd. on page 2 Contd. on page 2 2 the sunday morning FOCUS/NEWS Sunday, December 13, 2020 BY SARAH HANNAN TREMORS IN DIGANA Geologists and experts in the field are sharing more information about the tremors that occurred in the past after the Victoria Dam was built in 1985. According to the experts, Cause not yet determined hundreds of small tremors had occurred at that time. z Environment Ministry appoints expert committee Due to the lack of technology at the time, no measurements had been taken, which in the Digana area. The most recent once activities had increased, it is advisable to Expert committee appointed Management Centre. The committee will be explains why there is no record of the took place just a week ago, with only one carry out further studies and determine the A special discussion had been held at the headed by GSMB Chairman Anura Walpola, magnitudes of such tremors. It was only of the seismic activities reported below the root cause of these minor tremors. Ministry of Environment on Thursday (10) who will get back with a detailed finding in after 1990 that the necessary instruments reservoir bed. The Earth is made up of several tectonic to discuss the progress in the studies that three weeks,” Dr. Jasinghe noted. In addition had been installed in Colombo, then in Prof. Senaratne explained that these plates, and these plates have a tendency to are being conducted regarding the series to that, the GSMB is also taking steps to Pallekele in the year 2000, and at the seismic activities would not cause an impact ever so slightly move.