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Private bus owners threaten nationwide strike on Oct 25
By NESHELLA PERERA
ECONOMYNEXT –Private bus associations in Sri Lanka have called a countrywide bus strike from Tuesday October 25 protesting the seizure of 50 buses by leasing companies and seeking government intervention for a moratorium.Secretary of the Inter-Provincial Private Bus Association (IPPBA) Anjana Priyantjith told the media that around 50 buses have been seized due to leasing evasions. He claimed that leasing agencies are attempting to seize nearly 3,000 buses for not paying up due installments.
“We urge the government and the leasing companies to grant us a moratorium until next March. It’s not our fault that installment payments were delayed. We need to have an immediate discussion with the responsible parties,” said Priyananjith.
Fuel prices were revised in Sri Lanka earlier in the week, which saw Petrol 92 drop by 40 rupees and now retailing at 370 a litre while Auto Diesel prices dropped by 15 rupees to be sold at 415 a litre. However, bus owners have said their fares will remain unchanged due to skyrocketing operational costs.
Bus owners and other public transport providers have not revised their fares as the fuel price revision doesn’t comply with Sri Lanka’s Transportation Rules and Regulations, a spokesman said.Media Secretary of the Transport Ministry Mahesh Wickrama said: “The rule is that the [price] component of fuel must decrease by 4 percent for a [bus fare] revision to take place and in this case the [diesel price decrease] has been only 1.6%, which is why fares have remained unchanged.”
Lakbima Rice Mills (Pvt) Ltd, based in Polonnaruwa, has contributed Rs. 100 million to the Government’s ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund, established to provide relief to communities affected by Cyclone Ditwa.
The donation cheque was handed over this morning (13) at the Presidential Secretariat to Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the President, by Dudley Sirisena, Chairman of the Araliya Group of Companies.
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Advisory for severe lightning issued to the Districts of Kaluthara, Rathnapura, Galle and Matara
Advisory for Severe Lightning
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre
at 12.30 p.m. 13 December 2025 valid for the period until 11.00 p.m. 13 December 2025 for Kaluthara, Rathnapura, Galle and Matara Districts
The public are warned that thundershowers accompanied with severe lightning are likely to occur at some places in the Kaluthara, Rathnapura, Galle and Matara Districts.
There may be temporary localized strong winds during thundershowers.
General public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by lightning activity.
ACTION REQUIRED:
The Department of Meteorology advises that people should:
Seek shelter, preferably indoors and never under trees.
Avoid open areas such as paddy fields, tea plantations and open water bodies during thunderstorms.
Avoid using wired telephones and connected electric appliances during thunderstorms.
Avoid using open vehicles, such as bicycles, tractors and boats etc.
Beware of fallen trees and power lines.
For emergency assistance contact the local disaster management authorities.
Based on the prevailing disaster situation and the upcoming festive season, arrangements have been made to provide a nutrition allowance worth Rs. 5,000 to pregnant mothers.
This allowance, which will be provided only once, will be given to pregnant mothers who were registered at maternal clinics on or before 30 November 2025.
The distribution will take place through the Divisional Secretariat offices from 16 December, as a program of the National Secretariat for Early Childhood Development, which is affiliated with the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs.
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