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CEB saddled with USD 30,000 a day demurrage payments to ship that brought coal last Friday

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By Ifham Nizam

The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) has failed to furnish a Letter of Credit (LoC) to a ship carrying coal that arrived here on 01 April and this has resulted in a demurrage payment of USD 30,000 a day since then, The Island reliably learns.

About 38 to 42 ships carry coal to Sri Lanka from South Africa, Russia and Indonesia annually.

CEB Chairman M. M.C. Ferdinando last week agreed that the CEB needed about six billion rupees to import the remaining four shipments of coal for the Lakviyaja Coal Power plant at Norochcholai.

“We called a spot tender for eight shipments of coal. We have already taken delivery of four. We need to open Letters of Credit for four more shipments,” the CEB Chief said at the Presidential Media Centre during a news conference on Thursday.

Although Ferdinando assured that they would find that Rs. 06 billion on 01 April, payments have not been done.

The CEB Chairman was not immediately available for comment.

Engineers believe that ships should not be delayed, but should be cleared before rough seas set in.

The Ceylon Electricity Board Engineers’ Union President Anil Ranjith has told the media it is imperative that CEB take delivery of the required coal shipments at the earliest before the monsoon season begins to keep the three coal fired power plants at Norochcholai running until August. The Norochcholai power complex provide about half the electricity requirement of the country.

It is reported that the four shipments would amount to a total of 240,000 metric tonnes (MT) of coal.

The Kelanitissa Power Plant Complex has received 5,000 MT of fuel which is sufficient for three days.

The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) said that a vessel carrying 40, 000 MT of diesel had reached here under the Indian line of credit.

The stock of 40,000 MT of diesel that arrived here on Saturday was distributed on Sunday.



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Police officers donate LKR 9,687,462 from day’s salary to ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund

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A sum of LKR. 9,687,462, raised from day’s salary officers of the Police Department, has been donated to the ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund, established to support the recovery of communities affected by Cyclone Ditwah and to assist in rebuilding the country following the disaster.

To date, officers of the Police Department have contributed over LKR. 74 million to the ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund through three such contributions of one day’s salary.

The donation was presented on Wednesday  (22) afternoon at the Presidential Secretariat by the Personal Assistant to the Inspector General of Police, Senior Superintendent of Police  C. C. Bamunuarachchi, to the Secretary to the President, Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake.

Chief Inspector  Udaya Kumara, Officer-in-Charge of the Police Secretariat, was also present on the occasion.

[Presidents Media Division]

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Heat Index at Caution Level in the Northern, North-central, North-western, Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, and Eastern provinces and in Monaragala district during the day time

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Warm Weather Advisory
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre
Issued at 3.30 p.m. on 26 April 2026, valid for 27 April 2026.

The Heat index, the temperature felt on human body is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in the Northern, North-central, North-western, Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, and Eastern provinces and in Monaragala district during the day time.

The Heat Index Forecast is calculated by using relative humidity and maximum temperature and this is the condition that is felt on your body. This is not the forecast of maximum temperature. It is generated by the Department of Meteorology for the next day period and prepared by using global numerical weather prediction model data.

Effect of the heat index on human body is mentioned in the above table and it is prepared on the advice of the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services.

ACTION REQUIRED
Job sites: Stay hydrated and takes breaks in the shade as often as possible.
Indoors: Check up on the elderly and the sick.
Vehicles: Never leave children unattended.
Outdoors: Limit strenuous outdoor activities, find shade and stay hydrated.
Dress: Wear lightweight and white or light-colored clothing.

Note:
In addition, please refer to advisories issued by the Disaster Preparedness & Response Division, Ministry
of Health in this regard as well. For further clarifications please contact 011-7446491.

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Opposition asks for PSC to probe Treasury theft

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Sajith

Opposition and SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa has called for the appointment of a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) to investigate the illegal diversion of Treasury funds, amounting to US$2.5 million to a third-party account.

Premadasa has said both the chairmanship and a majority of the Committee’s membership should be held by the Opposition to ensure impartiality.

The government has not only failed to account for the loss of US$2.5 million but also deliberately withheld information from Parliament, the Committee on Public Finance (COPF) and the public, Premadasa has told the media, accusing the ruling party of seeking to deflect responsibility by initiating an internal departmental inquiry, which he describes as a biased process designed to justify predetermined conclusions.

The Opposition Leader has said only a transparent and independent probe could establish the facts, adding that such an investigation could be effectively carried out through a Parliamentary Select Committee led by the Opposition.

He has also warned that the alleged failure to inform Parliament about the missing funds amounted to a serious breach of accountability.

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