More than 50 people die annually in Sri Lanka due to lightning strikes, Director of the Astronomy and Space Science Unit of the University of Colombo, Professor Chandana Jayaratne, said.

He said many others suffer injuries as adequate attention is not given to lightning protection systems, resulting in preventable casualties.

Prof. Jayaratne said steps have been taken to establish a National Lightning Protection Centre aimed at addressing the issue and improving public safety measures.

He made these remarks while speaking to the media following a workshop held at the Arthur C. Clarke Institute for Modern Technologies (ACCIMT).

Central Province Governor Professor Sarath Abayakoon has announced his decision to step down from his post on July 21, saying the move was based solely on personal reasons and was not due to any external pressure.

Speaking to the media yesterday, after the Kandy District Development Committee meeting, held at the Kandy District Secretariat, Prof. Abayakoon said no one had pressured him to resign and that the decision had been under consideration for some time.

He said his resignation had been delayed due to his responsibilities in serving the public, particularly during natural disasters, such as ‘Ditwah’.

Prof. Abayakoon said he had informed President Anura Kumara Dissanayake when he assumed office that he intended to hold the gubernatorial position only for a limited period.

“Therefore, I must reiterate that this decision was taken purely due to personal reasons,” he said.

Responding to a query from a journalist on whether July 21 would be his final day in office, the Governor confirmed that he had officially informed the President of his intention to relinquish the post on that date.

Text and Pic by SK Samaranayake ✍️

The Exporters Association of Sri Lanka (EASL) welcomes Sri Lanka’s commitment to aligning with internationally accepted labour standards and supporting global efforts to eliminate forced labour from supply chains.

As an export-oriented nation, maintaining confidence in Sri Lanka’s trading environment and complying with international obligations are of paramount importance.

The Association notes that while the new regulations prohibiting the importation of goods produced through forced labour have been gazetted, the operational guidelines on the same are yet to be finalised.

As the premier export organisation the EASL looks forward to a continued dialogue with the authorities on the implementation of the new regulations. It is vital that we protect our supply chains whilst also ensuring that we have expeditious clearing of cargo at the ports of Colombo.

The EASL, therefore, respectfully urges the Government to engage in structured consultations with exporters, importers, chambers of commerce, logistics service providers and other stakeholders before operational procedures are introduced.

The Association further recommends that Sri Lanka adopt a risk-based enforcement model consistent with international best practices, focusing on high-risk goods, supply chains and jurisdictions rather than imposing blanket documentation requirements on every import transaction. EASL also encourages the Department of Customs to publish comprehensive implementation guidelines, including acceptable documentary requirements, verification procedures and reasonable transition arrangements before enforcement begins.

“Sri Lanka’s exporters fully support ethical trade and the elimination of forced labour from global supply chains. However, any new compliance regime must be supported by clear implementation guidelines and meaningful stakeholder consultation to ensure that legitimate trade is not adversely affected. A transparent, practical and risk-based approach will help achieve the objectives of the regulation while preserving Sri Lanka’s competitiveness as a trading nation,” said Nalaka Ratnayake, Chairman of the Exporters Association of Sri Lanka.