News
Johnston: Probe underway into allegation expressway construction causes floods
‘Yahapalana adjustments to construction master plan may have led to present situation’
Chief Government Whip and Highways Minister Johnston Fernando yesterday instructed his Ministry Secretary R. W. R. Pemasiri to investigate immediately whether there was any truth in claims that some areas in Gampaha were inundated owing to the construction work on the first phase of the Central Expressway from Kadawatha to Meerigama.
Minister Fernando had also directed the Secretary to study the construction master plan and make adjustments thereto if such action was deemed necessary to control floods in the Gampaha area, Ministry sources said.
The Minister issued those instructions during a meeting held at the ministry to ascertain the veracity of statements by some MPs and ministers from the Gampaha District that the ongoing construction of the Central Expressway had blocked waterways in the area and thereby caused the inundation of several law-lying fields. The blockage of waterways had been caused by temporary roads put up in a haphazard manner to transport heavy machinery and construction equipment needed to construct the Central Expressway, the MPs pointed out at the meeting.
Minister Fernando said: “It is said that some have been inundated due to the construction work of the Central Expressway. I have discussed this issue with Gampaha District leader Minister Prasanna Ranatunga, State Minister Nimal Lanza and other MPs including Kokila Gunawardena, Nalin Fernando and Upul Rajapaksa. Gampaha District Secretary and top officials of the Irrigation Ministry were also present. We want to check whether this claim is true. I ordered the Secretary of my ministry to study the matter and submit a report in two days. We are also planning to meet the affected people and listen to their views. We must keep in mind that the highest rainfall in the known history was reported from this area, and that was one of the causes of floods. We do everything possible to alleviate the difficulties and inconveniences faced by the people for whose benefit the highways are being built. We are not a government that runs away, unable to face problems.
We have already initiated a plan as suggested by the officials of the Irrigation Ministry to clear some canals in the area to help drain water from some fields. We know that development becomes meaningless if people, the main beneficiaries thereof, are not happy.
When Basil Rajapaksa was the District leader of Gampaha and Cabinet Minister he not only developed the district but also had a special project to clean and clear the canal network. That good work was suspended after the 2015 regime change. If those projects had been carried out without attaching political identities to them, Gampaha would have been one of the most developed districts in the country today; certainly there would have been no flood problems.
The Yahapalana government had altered some sections of the master plan of the central expressway to help its cronies. “It is laughable that the very same people who meddled with the master plan and created problems are now lambasting us,” Minister Fernando said.
It has been reported quoting family sources that veteran singer Mariazelle Goonetilleke has passed away this morning (10) at the age of 68
She had been receiving treatment at the Kalubowila Teaching Hospital.
The wife of retired Major General Suresh Sallay has lodged a further complaint with the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL), alleging that her husband’s fundamental rights continue to be violated as Criminal Investigation Department (CID) officers prevent him from having confidential consultations with his lawyer while he is under detention at the National Hospital.
In a letter addressed to the HRCSL Chairman on Thursday, Mrs. S.B.M.S.B. Sallay has said the latest complaint was filed in relation to an earlier complaint concerning the detention and treatment of her husband.
Full text of the letter: I, Mrs. S.B.M.S.B. Sallay, respectfully write to lodge this further complaint in relation to my earlier complaint bearing reference H RC-HO-1 103-26, concerning the detention and treatment of my husband, Retired Major General Suresh Sallay.
I wish to bring to the attention of the Commission a further serious violation of his fundamental rights that occurred on 08 July 2026 during a consultation between my husband and his Attorney-at-Law, Mr. Asith Siriwardena, while my husband remains under detention and is receiving treatment at the National Hospital.
I am informed by his Counsel that he is presently permitted to consult with my husband only once a week for a period of approximately twenty minutes. During the consultation held on 08 July 2026, officers of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) stationed at the Cardiac Coronary Care Unit of the National Hospital informed Counsel that they had received instructions from higher authorities that my husband should not be permitted to meet with his
legal counsel in private. Consequently, the officers remained present throughout the consultation and refused to permit a confidential lawyer-client meeting.
This conduct constitutes a grave infringement of my husband’s fundamental right to communicate privately and confidentially with his legal counsel. Confidential communication between an accused or detainee and his lawyer is an indispensable safeguard of the right to legal representation, the right to prepare his defence, and the right to a fair trial. The denial of confidential legal consultations undermines these fundamental protections guaranteed under the Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and the applicable provisions governing persons detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.
The confidentiality of communications between a lawyer and client is also a well-recognized principle under international human rights law and forms an essential safeguard against arbitrary detention, coercion, and unfair legal proceedings.
In view of the foregoing, I respectfully request the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka to urgently intervene and take all necessary steps within its statutory mandate to:
1. Ensure that my husband is afforded immediate and unrestricted confidential access to his legal counsel without the presence or supervision of law enforcement officers;
2. Inquire into the instructions allegedly issued by higher authorities requiring CID officers to remain present during lawyer-client consultations;
3. Direct the relevant authorities to cease any practice that interferes with confidential legal consultations; and
4. Take such further action as the Commission considers appropriate to safeguard my husband’s constitutional and human rights.
This complaint is made as a further complaint to Complaint No. H RC-HO-1103-26, and I respectfully request that it be placed on the same file and considered together with my previous complaints.
I respectfully seek the Commission’s urgent intervention in this matter.
The Supreme Court yesterday (9) upheld a Colombo Commercial High Court order directing former Minister Wimal Weerawansa to pay Rs. 1 million in damages to Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) General Secretary Tilvin Silva for violating intellectual property rights.
A three-member Supreme Court bench dismissed in its entirety an appeal filed by Weerawansa challenging the earlier Commercial High Court ruling.
The case was instituted by Silva, who alleged that Weerawansa had violated provisions of the Intellectual Property Act by publishing his book “Neththa Wenuwata Aththa” (“Truth Instead of Lies”), which contained the JVP’s political ideology and official party documents without authorisation.
The Supreme Court also affirmed the order restraining the publication and distribution of the book in its existing form. However, the court ruled that the book could be republished if the 60-page section identified as infringing intellectual property rights was removed.
Dharmaraja and Kingswood set for historic rugby clash on Saturday
Sri Lankan singer Mariazelle Goonetilleke passes away at the age of 68
Tensions erupt in Indian state after 11-year-old raped and murdered
US and Iran trade attacks as Khamenei is buried
Several spells of showers will occur in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces and in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts
Canadian PM visits Saudi Arabia to strengthen energy, mining partnerships
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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