Sri Lanka will mark National Safety Day today (26) with countrywide religious observances, a national moment of silence and the main state commemoration at the Peraliya Tsunami Memorial in Galle, officials said yesterday.

The annual observance, declared in the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami that claimed over 35,000 lives and left more than 5,000 people missing, is held each year to honour victims of the tsunami and other disasters, while reinforcing public awareness on disaster preparedness.

Disaster Management Centre (DMC) Director General Retired Major General Sudantha Ranasinghe said the 2025 programme would be conducted with due consideration to prevailing weather conditions caused by the Ditwah cyclone, with district-level multi-religious observances planned across the country.

“National Safety Day is a moment of remembrance and reflection. It also reminds us of the importance of preparedness, early warning and community resilience,” he said.

The main national commemoration will take place at the Peraliya Tsunami Memorial from 8.30 a.m. to 11.00 a.m., with the participation of government representatives, religious leaders, disaster survivors and families of victims.

Secretary to the Ministry of Defence Air Vice Marshal (Retd) Sampath Thuyacontha said a two-minute silence will be observed nationwide from 9.25 am to 9.27 am today, in memory of all those who lost their lives to the tsunami and other disasters.

“All institutions and members of the public are requested to observe this moment of silence as a mark of respect and national solidarity,” he said.

DMC Additional Director General Pradeep Kodippili urged the media to provide wide coverage to the main commemoration in Galle as well as district-level programmes organised through District Secretariats.

“Media support and public participation are essential to ensure that the lessons of past disasters remain alive and that a culture of safety is strengthened across the country,” Kodippili said.

National Safety Day has been observed annually on December 26 since 2005.

By Ifham Nizam ✍️

All forms of street vending within the Kandy Municipal Council area will be banned from January 1, Mayor Chandrasiri Wijenayake has said.The Kandy Mayor said the decision had been taken as part of efforts to preserve it as a clean and aesthetically pleasing city and to allow the public to move freely while enjoying its surroundings.

He said the ban would apply not only to streets in the city centre but across the entire municipal council area. The move, he added, follows long-standing public requests for a more systematic regulatory framework within the Kandy urban area and is aimed at ensuring public convenience and welfare.

Wijenayake stressed that the decision would be implemented without reversal.

The Kandy Municipal Council has already issued formal notices to pavement vendors directing them to cease operations. Street vendors had requested a three-month grace period to relocate, which will expire on December 31.

By S. K. Samaranayake ✍️

Breathalyser test kits had been delivered to all police stations across the country as part of stepped-up efforts to curb drunk driving, SSP Manoj Ranagala, Director of the Traffic Division at Police Headquarters said.

SSP Ranagala told The Island yesterday (25) that 75,000 breathalysers had already been procured and issued to police stations, enabling wider and more effective roadside testing. He said a further consignment of 250,000 test kits was expected to arrive in January, strengthening enforcement capacity in the coming months.

Police stations nationwide had launched special operations during the New Year season to detect and arrest intoxicated drivers, he said, noting that driving under the influence of liquor remains a leading cause of fatal road accidents and property damage in Sri Lanka. The operations are aimed at reducing preventable deaths and injuries on the roads.

SSP Ranagala said the police would continue to carry out snap checks, particularly at night, even after the Sinhala and Tamil New Year season, to deter motorists from driving under the influence of alcohol.

He said enforcement efforts have already resulted in a significant number of arrests. On Tuesday (24) alone, 136 drunk drivers were taken into custody by police stations across the island.

By Chaminda Silva ✍️