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Paediatrician: Children need to be protected not only from heat but also dust

Published

2 years ago

2024/03/19

Sahan Weerasooriya

Education Ministry direct school principals to postpone all sports events

By Rathindra Kuruwita

Health officials say a significant number of children are experiencing respiratory problems due to high levels of dust particles in the environment.

Consultant Paediatrician at Lady Ridgeway Hospital, Dr. Deepal Perera, advises that the elderly and pregnant women should also exercise caution. When the environmental temperature approached the body’s natural temperature of approximately 37 degrees Celsius, individuals tended to perspire more.

“It’s essential to replenish both sodium and water levels. Otherwise, you may experience dehydration, loss of appetite, nausea, body pains, and other symptoms that hinder productivity. Engaging in sports, under direct sunlight, increases the risk of heat exhaustion. Additionally, the high levels of dust in the air pose further challenges,” he said.

Meanwhile, Minister of Education, Susil Premajayantha, said the Education Ministry had instructed school principals to postpone all sportsmeets until after the Sinhala and Tamil New year.

Athula Karunanayake, the Director General of Meteorology, attributed the dry weather to El Niño. He noted that although some rainfall was expected between 21 and 24 March, but that would not be sufficient to alleviate the intense heat.

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Cabinet nod to accept Japanese government grant of 08 used low floorboard buses

Published

6 hours ago

2026/03/4

Priyan

The Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development to accept 08 used low floorboard buses offered as a grant by the Government of Japan.

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Payment of the financial subsidy for fertilizer to farmers cultivating paddy lands for the Yala season 2026.

Published

6 hours ago

2026/03/4

Priyan

While approval has been granted at the Cabinet meeting held on 18.08.2025 to pay the financial subsidy for fertilizer to farmers cultivating paddy lands for the Maha season 2025/26, the programme is planned to be continued for the Yala season 2026 as well.

Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation to pay a financial subsidy of Rupees 25,000/- per hectare and for a maximum of 02 hectares per farmer for paddy cultivation and to pay Rupees 15,000/- per hectare for field crops cultivated in paddy lands[maximum of 02 hectares per farmer]

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Ministerial Committee appointed to submit recommendations on proposed program to mitigate loss of crops to wild animals

Published

6 hours ago

2026/03/4

Priyan

The rural agricultural livelihood and food security have been severely impacted due to the damage caused by wild animals such as elephants, wild boars, monkeys, toque macaque, squirrels, and peacocks roaming around human habitats and cultivated lands.

Animal-human conflicts and property destruction have mostly been reported around these areas, and serious social and economic issues have also arisen.

Therefore, the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land, and Irrigation has prepared a comprehensive program based on the opinions of all stakeholders, including the public, university community, farmers’ organizations, environmentalists, non-governmental organizations which work for environmental issues, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Agrarian Development, and other relevant organizations.

Taking into consideration the report submitted by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land, and Irrigation, the Cabinet of Ministers has decided to appoint a ministerial committee with the participation of other relevant ministers, chaired by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land, and Irrigation, to submit appropriate recommendations on how the aforementioned program should be implemented by further reviewing the proposals included in the said program and incorporating new proposals.