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‘Agrochemicals smuggled from India a danger’

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By Rathindra Kuruwita

The government was turning a blind eye to a racket where large amounts of agro-chemicals are smuggled into the country via the sea, former NGO activist and provincial Governor Rajith Keerthi Tennakoon alleged yesterday.

He told The Island: “This is being done to convince people that the government’s organic agriculture initiative is working. I have personally seen the effects of some agro-chemicals that have been smuggled into the country. These agro-chemicals are extremely potent and will acidify the soil.”

The government banned the import of agro-chemicals a few months ago, claiming that Sri Lanka would be the first country to go 100% organic. Tennakoon said that he thought it should have been done gradually with the consent of all stakeholders.

“However, the government must immediately stop people smuggling in low quality agro-chemicals from India. These agro-chemicals are freely available in agricultural areas and would have devastating impacts on agriculture, farming and human health. The Ministry of Agriculture, Standards Institute and Office of the Registrar of Pesticides are not doing anything about it,” he said.

Tennakoon said that sub-standard agrochemicals are being smuggled in fishing boats to Mannar, Kattankudi, Trincomalee and Weligama harbours. Some of these agro-chemicals were banned in Sri Lanka a decade ago, he added.

“There is no plan to produce adequate amounts of compost. The government knows this. The government also knows that without adequate agrochemicals the agricultural production will decrease significantly in the coming months. Instead of sitting down with all stakeholders and deciding on the best course of action, the government is turning a blind eye to the issue,” he said.



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Thousands flee floods after dam collapse near Nova Kakhovka

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An aerial image shows water pouring through what appears to be a breach in the dam (pic BBC)

BBC reported that thousands of people are being evacuated downstream of a major dam which has been blown up in Russian-held Ukraine.

President Zelensky said 80 towns and villages were at risk of flooding after the destruction of the dam at Nova Kakhovka, which he blamed on Russia. Water is surging down the Dnipro river and is said to pose a catastrophic flooding risk to the city of Kherson.

Russia has denied destroying the dam – which it controls – instead blaming Ukrainian shelling. Neither Ukraine or Russia’s claim has been verified by the BBC.

The Kakhovka dam is crucial in the region. It contains a reservoir, which provides water to farmers and residents, as well as to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. It is also is a vital channel carrying water south to Russian-occupied Crimea.

Video footage shows a torrent of floodwater gushing through a breach in the dam. Several towns are already flooded, while people in areas further downstream were forced to flee by bus and train.

Around 40,000 people need to be evacuated, Deputy Prosecutor-General Viktoriya Lytvynova said on Ukrainian television – 17,000 people in Ukraine-controlled territory west of the Dnipro River and 25,000 on the Russian-controlled east.

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Sagala Ratnayaka leads Sri Lanka delegation to 20th IISS Shangri-La Dialogue

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Chief of Staff to the President and National Security Advisor (NSA) Sagala Ratnayaka led the Sri Lanka delegation to the 20th IISS Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s premier Security Summit held in Singapore from 2 – 4 June 2023.

The highly anticipated summit commenced on 2 June with a powerful Keynote address delivered by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Throughout the event, a series of plenary sessions delved into various crucial geo-political issues, encompassing the establishment of a stable and balanced Asia Pacific, the resolution of regional tensions, the evolution of maritime security in Asia, US leadership in the Indo-Pacific, and China’s latest security initiatives, among other topics.

During the Special Session focusing on ‘Defence Cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region,’ Ratnayaka delivered an impactful statement, participating alongside representatives from India, Oman, France, and the United States. He emphasized the significance of keeping big power rivalries and external conflicts out of the Indian Ocean, highlighting Sri Lanka’s efforts in the United Nations to declare the region as a zone of peace. Furthermore, he underscored the country’s contributions to preserving freedom of navigation and over flight, stressing the crucial need for constructive dialogue among all stakeholders in the Indian Ocean region to pursue shared interests.

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Prices of sixty essential drugs to be reduced from 15th June

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The Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal raised by the Minister of Health to reduce the maximum retail price of 60 medicines by 16% with effect from 15.06.2023 and review the price of medicines every three months

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