News

Call for banning small bottles of arrack

Published

5 years ago

2021/11/17

By Saman Indrajith

The National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol (NATA) is planning to request the government to ban 180 ml quarter bottles of arrack.

Addressing the media at the Health Education Bureau in Colombo, NATA Chairman Dr Samadhi Rajapaksa said that there was strong public opinion that the small bottles should be banned not only to control alcohol abuse but also to prevent environmental damage.

“The results of a NATA public opinion survey conducted this year indicates that 72.4 percent of people think quarter bottles should be banned. More than 1,000 people took part in the survey carried out under three age groups. Around 40 percent respondents were from the age group between 17 and 30 years, while 35 percent of the sample comprised respondents from the age group 31 to 45 years and the last age group accounting for 25 percent of the subjects was above 45. The age groups not only covered all adults but also represented diverse education and social backgrounds.”

The NATA chairman said that in addition to the survey findings, the NATA had received a large number of complaints from environmentalists as well as farmers to ban quarter bottles, which have become a serious nuisance and threat to environment.

It is stated that 54 percent of hard liquor is sold in quarter bottles containing 180 ml. In 2019 alone, people purchased between 9 and 10 million quarter bottles of arrack, as per the excise records.

The latest WHO Global status report on alcohol and health indicates that Sri Lanka has recorded an alarming increase of 29.4 percent in hard liquor consumption.

Director of the Health Promotion Bureau, Dr. Ranjith Batuwanthudawa, Director Tertiary Care Services of Health Ministry Dr. Ayanthi Karunaratne and Deputy Director General of Health Services Dr. Hemantha Herath also addressed the media.

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“Rathuwewi Mihimadala” Book Launched with the Participation of the Prime Minister

Published

4 hours ago

2026/08/30

Priyan

The book “Rathuwewi Mihimadala”, written based on the life story of Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Leader of the Democratic Left Front, was launched on Friday [August 28] at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) in Colombo, with the participation of Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya.

Speaking to the media afterwards about Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated:

“Vasudeva Nanayakkara is a prominent figure in Sri Lankan politics, particularly within the left-wing political movement. There were several influential figures within the left movement, and that left-wing influence also contributed to bringing the country to where it is today. Politically, there were areas where we agreed and areas where we did not. However, I have great respect for the contribution made by Vasudeva Nanayakkara to left-wing politics. When I entered Parliament in 2020, Vasudeva Nanayakkara was also in Parliament. We sat in the same row, and we spoke about many important as well as interesting moments in his political career. I believe some of these experiences have also been included in this book.”

The event was attended by members of the Maha Sangha, Minister of Justice Harshana Nanayakkara, former President Maithripala Sirisena, former Speakers Karu Jayasuriya and Chamal Rajapaksa, as well as party members, family members and friends.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]

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Sun directly overhead Mannar, Periyamadu, Puliyankulam, Welioya and Pulmoddai about 12.11 noon today (30)

Published

14 hours ago

2026/08/30

Priyan

The sun is going to be directly over the latitudes of Sri Lanka from 28th of August to 07th of September due to its apparent southward relative motion.

The nearest places of Sri Lanka over which the sun is overhead today (30) are Mannar, Periyamadu, Puliyankulam, Welioya and
Pulmoddai about 12.11 noon.

News

Lanka tracks 11 US-sanctioned Iranian tankers off coast

Published

16 hours ago

2026/08/30

Thilina Walpola

(AFP) Sri Lanka’s maritime authorities were monitoring a fleet of 11 US-sanctioned Iranian oil tankers just off the island’s southern coast, the foreign minister said Wednesday.

The tankers were spotted close to the Galle harbour where an Iranian frigate, IRIS Dena, was sunk by a US submarine in March, killing 104 sailors. Sri Lanka’s navy rescued 32 Iranian sailors from that frigate.

Iranian vessels have been in limbo, unable to return to their home port because of a US blockade.

Sri Lanka’s Foreign minister Vijitha Herath said the tankers were in international waters where they had freedom of navigation.

“These ships are away from our territorial waters… we have no hold on them, nor have we facilitated them,” Herath told AFP.

The military deployed reconnaissance aircraft and patrol boats to monitor the vessels outside Sri Lanka’s 12-nautical-mile territorial waters, a military official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

“There is no indication of any ship-to-ship transfer of oil or illegal discharge of pollutants, so there is no basis for Sri Lankan authorities to take action against them,” the official said.

Many Iranian merchant vessels moved east towards the Strait of Malacca and Singapore due to US sanctions, while several remained near Sri Lankan waters, authorities said.

Sri Lankan officials said Washington had not formally notified Colombo about sanctioned Iranian-flagged vessels