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Bellanwila Nayake Thera denies animal rights activists’ claim temple elephant ill-treated
By Ifham Nizam
Chief Incumbent of the Bellanwila Raja Maha Viharaya Ven. Bellanwila Dhammarathana Thera yesterday said some animal lovers had dragged in Rohitha Rajapaksa to carry out a vicious campaign against one of the most popular temples in Sri Lanka.
The Nayake Thera told the media yesterday at his temple in Bellanwila: “We have not received anything from the Rajapaksa family. Nor will we seek anything from them. I, however, admire the yeoman service rendered by the two Rajapaksas––Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa––to liberate the nation from the clutches of terrorists and ending the war.”
He said that the conduct of Wildlife Director General Ishni Wickremesinghe to film elephants, without the consent of the temple authorities, was shameless. “Our investigations have revealed she used two zoo workers and a zoo vehicle to video the temple premises, where the elephant Mayan Prince, gifted by Myanmar is kept.”
The head priest also expressed concern about the Facebook campaign. ‘Please rescue Mayan Prince from Bellanwila Temple’.
“I think with my little understanding of the English language … rescue is not the proper word. If former President Mahinda Rajapaksa rescued Sri Lanka from terrorism or Gotabaya Rajapaksa with the help of Army, Navy, Air Force and Police rescued from cruel terrorists or Prabhakaran, the wording is correct.”
He also thanked Professor G.L. Peiris, who had, in his capacity as the Foreign Minister, written to the government of Myanmar for sending Mayan Prince and then Defence Secretary Rajapaksa for having the elephant brought here. Veterinary Surgeon Jagath Jayasekera said that the elephant was healthy and was in musth for the first time.
An animal rights activists circulated pictures of the animal lying helplessly on its side in a murky pool as his keeper beat him with sharp sticks.
The Indian Naval Ship (INS) Sahyadri which arrived at the Port of Colombo on a formal visit on 04 Apr 25, departed the island today (07 Apr). The Sri Lanka Navy bade customary farewell to the departing ship at the Port of Colombo, following naval traditions.
During the ship’s stay in Colombo, crew members of INS Sahyadri took part in several programmes organized by the Sri Lanka Navy, aimed at enhancing mutual cooperation. In addition, they also explored some tourist attractions in the country. Further, personnel of Sri Lanka Navy had the opportunity to visit INS Sahyadri, gaining insights into her operational capabilities.
Latest News
Advisory for severe lightning issued for Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Hambanthota district
The Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre has issued an Advisory for Severe Lightning for the Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Hambanthota district.
The advisory issued at 02.00 p.m. today [07 April 2025] is valid for the period until 11.00 p.m. 07 April 2025
The public are warned that thundershowers accompanied by severe lightning are likely to occur at several places in for Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Hambantota district. 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.
The report of the “Census of Population and Housing 2024,” conducted by the Department of Census and Statistics, was officially handed over to President Anura Kumara Disanayake this morning (07) at the Presidential Secretariat.
This preliminary report has been prepared based on island wide data collected between October and December 2024.
The report provides details on Sri Lanka’s population, its growth and the distribution of the population across districts.
The information gathered through the census is vital not only for the government but also for other institutions in formulating policies and development plans essential for the country’s progress. Significantly, for the first time in the history of census-collecting in Sri Lanka, data collection was carried out using tablet computers and user-friendly mobile devices.
The event was attended by Deputy Minister of Finance & Planning, Harshana Suriyapperuma, Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance Mahinda Siriwardana, Director General of the Department of Census and Statistics D.D.G.A. Senevirathne and several other officials.
INS Sahyadri sets sail from Colombo
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Advisory for severe lightning issued for Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Hambanthota district
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