News

Housing development in estate sector held up due to shortage of funding

Published

5 years ago

2021/07/30

BY Rathindra Kuruwita

Three thousand five hundred and seventy six (3,576) houses under a project to build 14,000 housing units in the plantation community on a full grant basis by 31 December 2020 have been completed, but 2,877 of them could not be handed over to the beneficiaries because there are no funds to supply electricity and water, the Annual Performance Report of the State Ministry of Estate Housing and Community Infrastructure for the year 2020 says.

“The construction of 3576 houses was completed by 31.12.2020 and out of them 699 have already been handed over to the beneficiaries. Out of these houses, 2877 are to be provided with electricity and water,” the report says.

The report has revealed that another 424 houses are in various stages of construction, and they are scheduled to be completed before September 30, 2021.

The houses could not be provided with electricity or water in 2020 because the Treasury had not allocated funds for the project. Therefore, approval has been received to extend the project period up to September 2021 and to allocate Rs. 522 million for the provision of infrastructure facilities, the Ministry says.

Work on another 10,000 houses is to commence this year at an estimated cost of Rs. 11 billion out of which the Indian government is to grant Rs. 9.5 billion. These will be built for the plantation community in Badulla, Hatton, Nuwara- Eliya, Kandy, Kegalle, Ratnapura and Galle.

The Ministry says there are three types of houses in the estates now: Single barrack Line Houses, Double barrack Line Houses and Temporary Houses.

“A Single Barrack Line House is a 264 square feet house with a front veranda and a single room. A double line room has an area of around 145 – 175 square feet each. Temporary houses have been built adjacent to the existing line rooms since the existing line rooms are not sufficient with the gradual increase in the number of families in the plantation sector. These houses have the least facilities,” the report says.

Given that such housing is degrading for inhabitants, there was a proposal to build 550-square-foot single houses with adjoining toilets, on a seven-perch blocks of land with title deeds and infrastructure such as safe drinking water, electricity, and access roads.

“For the year 2020, it was decided complete 1,710 housing units. The Ministry was able to complete the construction of 700 houses by 31 December 2020 by continuing the housing programme in collaboration with the Plantation Human Development Trust. Rs. 768.95 million was spent on infrastructure for new houses during the year. This also includes Rs. 88 million spent on the provision of essential infrastructure. However, the allocations received were not sufficient to build the remaining 1010 houses.”

The Ministry says there are 1,544 Child Development Centres under the Estate Management to provide day care facilities for children between the ages of two and five. Out of them 550 or 38% of the centres have low level facilities.

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Advisory for Severe Lightning issued to the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and Galle and Matara districts

Published

10 hours ago

2026/03/12

Priyan

Advisory for Severe Lightning Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre at 12.30 noon 12 March 2026 valid for the period until 11.00 p.m. 12 March 2026

Thundershowers accompanied with severe lightning are likely to occur at some places in the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle and Matara districts after 2.00 p.m.

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.

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Nasa spacecraft weighing 1,300lb due to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere

Published

11 hours ago

2026/03/12

Priyan

The two Van Allen Probes were launched in 2012 [BBC]

A Van Allen Probe spacecraft weighing more than 1,300lb (600kg) is expected to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere almost 14 years after its launch, Nasa says.

The spacecraft is projected to re-enter around 19:45 EDT (23:45 GMT) on Tuesday the US Space Force predicted, according to Nasa, though there is a 24-hour margin of “uncertainty” in the timing.

The Van Allen Probe A, which launched in 2012, is expected mostly to burn up as it travels through the atmosphere, though some components may survive.

The space agency said there is a one in 4,200 chance of being harmed by a piece of the probe, which it characterised as “low” risk.

The spacecraft and its twin, Van Allen Probe B, were on a mission to gather unprecedented data on Earth’s two permanent radiation belts.

It was not immediately clear where in Earth’s atmosphere the satellite is projected to re-enter. The BBC has contacted Nasa for further detail.

Nasa and the US Space Force have said they will monitor the re-entry and update any predictions.

The mission, which was originally designed to last two years, went on for almost seven. It ended after the spacecrafts ran out of fuel and were no longer able to orient themselves toward the Sun.

The probes flew through rings of charged particles trapped by Earth’s magnetic field from 2012 to 2019, in order to study how particles were gained and lost, per Nasa.

Those rings, called the Van Allen belts, shield Earth from cosmic radiation, solar storms and streaming solar wind, which are harmful to humans and can damage technology.

The mission made significant discoveries, including the first data that show the existence of a transient third radiation belt, which can form during times of intense solar activity, Nasa said.

Van Allen Probe B is not expected to re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere before 2030.

[BBC]

News

PM Visits the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)

Published

13 hours ago

2026/03/12

Priyan

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya visited the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) headquarters in Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines, on 11 March 2026, and held bilateral discussions with Yvonne Pinto, Director General of IRRI, focusing on strengthening cooperation in the field of rice research and sustainable agricultural development.

During the meeting, discussions centered on rice cultivation in Sri Lanka, including the key challenges faced by Sri Lankan paddy farmers. The Prime Minister highlighted issues affecting the sector such as productivity constraints, climate-related impacts, and the need to support farmers through improved agricultural practices and technological innovations.

Both sides also discussed the importance of introducing modern techniques and research-driven approaches to rice cultivation in order to enhance productivity and ensure long-term food security. In this regard, IRRI shared insights on ongoing global research initiatives aimed at improving rice varieties, strengthening climate resilience, and promoting sustainable farming practices.

The discussion further focused on the potential for expanded collaboration between Sri Lanka and IRRI, particularly in areas such as research partnerships, knowledge sharing, and capacity building for Sri Lankan agricultural institutions and farmers. The Prime Minister emphasized Sri Lanka’s interest in strengthening cooperation with IRRI to support the development of the country’s rice sector and to improve the livelihoods of paddy farmers.

The visit reaffirmed the importance of science-based agricultural innovation and international collaboration in addressing food security challenges and enhancing sustainable rice production in Sri Lanka.