A driver attached to the Kandy Four Gravets and Gangawata Korale Divisional Secretariat has been arrested for allegedly selling donated drinking water that was intended for distribution to residents displaced by the recent disaster in the Kandy District.

The suspect, identified as H.P.G.K. Lal Hapukumbura, was produced before the Kandy Chief Magistrate, who ordered that he be remanded until 09 December.

He was brought before court by Police Sergeant Jayathilaka, under the supervision of Chief Inspector Rasika Sampath Pathirana, HQI of the Kandy Police, and on the instructions of Chief Inspector Rohana Karunarathna, OIC of the Minor Complaints Division.

By Shantha Kelum Samaranayake

Switzerland has delivered a consignment of essential WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) relief equipment and personnel to support Sri Lanka’s disaster response efforts following recent extreme weather conditions, President’s Media Division (PMD) said in a release,

The cargo, which arrived at the Bandaranaike International Airport on Saturday (06), was officially handed over by a visiting Swiss WASH Mission delegation led by Mr Martin Bölsterli, Team Leader of the WASH Mission, and Ms Yvonne Josy Müller, Senior Coordinator of the Mission.

The consignment includes water purifiers, designed to ensure safe drinking water in disaster-affected communities, along with the deployment of WASH technical personnel to support implementation on the ground.

Officials said the Swiss assistance will help strengthen access to clean water in areas where supply systems have been damaged and will support humanitarian agencies working to restore essential services.

The arrival of the Swiss WASH Mission forms part of continued international support being extended to Sri Lanka as the country works to stabilise conditions in communities affected by the disaster.

The Committee on Public Finance (COPF) has approved the Strategic Development Project (Amendment) Bill along with six Gazette Extraordinary notifications, following a meeting held in Parliament last week, chaired by SJB MP Dr. Harsha de Silva.

After extensive deliberations, the Committee gave the green light to the Strategic Development Project (Amendment) Bill, marking a key step in advancing ongoing development initiatives.

In addition, approval was granted for regulations issued under the Imports and Exports (Control) Act, No. 1 of 1969 (Extraordinary Gazette No. 2459/46) and the Value Added Tax Act, No. 14 of 2002 (Extraordinary Gazette No. 2461/43).

The Committee also approved Resolutions under the Revenue Protection Act, No. 19 of 1962, published in Gazette Extraordinary No. 2457/06 and No. 2461/40, as well as an Order under Section 3 of the Ports and Airports Development Levy Act, No. 18 of 2011 (Extraordinary Gazette No. 2461/44). Approval was additionally granted for an Order under Sections 2 and 3 of the Special Commodity Tax Act, No. 48 of 2007 (Extraordinary Gazette No. 2457/05).

The meeting saw participation from Deputy Ministers Chathuranga Abeysinghe, Nishantha Jayaweera, and MP Ravi Karunanayake, among others, as the Committee advanced its review of key financial and regulatory measures.