News
Engineers’ fight at CEB heading for showdown
By Ifham Nizam
The Ceylon Electricity Board Engineers’ Union (CEBEU) was trying its utmost to block ongoing investigations into the countrywide blackout on 03 December and undermine the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) General Manager M.R. Ranatunga, a senior official of the Ceylon Electricity Board Senior Engineers’ Association (CEBSEA) alleged yesterday.
CEBSEA spokesperson Engineer Nandika Pathirage told The Island yesterday that CEBEU was strongly opposed to the General Manager getting an extension in service although according to the new government policy as stated in the budget 2022 he could serve the Board until he reached 62 years.
“This is a fundamental right issue concerning the most senior engineer of the CEB. The CEBEU non-cooperation strategy is to get rid of the General Manager,” he claimed.
He also said that as senior engineers, they were well aware that a thorough investigation would undoubtedly reveal the ‘culprits’ including the team behind the recent sabotage and that the breakdown in the main transmission line and the power outages were pre-planned.
Pathirage, himself a former CEBEU President, also stressed that attempts had been made to delete the relevant data as soon as the power was disrupted.
CEBSEA had asked the government and the Public Utilities Commission to conduct a prompt and fair investigation into recent Power outages. “The General Manager foiled the move to delete the real cause of the power outage, and there is another conspiracy to remove him and obstruct the investigation,” he said.
Meanwhile, denying charges levelled by its rivals, the CEBEU said that it would go all out to win its demands especially the cancellation of the backdoor deals with the US firm.
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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