News
Student of leading school at Ratnapura charged Rs 20 per puff of e-cigarette from schoolmates
By TKG Kapila
Commissioner General of Excise M.J. Gunasiri said yesterday that his Department had received a complaint that a student in a popular school in Ratnapura had charged other students Rs. 20 for one puff of an electronic cigarette.
The student concerned had taken an e-cigarette to school and shared it with others, within the school premises, Gunasiri said, adding that they had launched an investigation into the complaint.
He said that there was a rapid spread of electronic cigarettes in rural areas.
Gunasiri said so after inspecting a stock of e-cigarettes worth around Rs. 500,000, which had been recovered during raids conducted in Gampaha and Ja-Ela yesterday (11).
Gunasiri said that investigations had revealed a high use of e-cigarettes among school students and individuals below the age of 40 years, mostly in Colombo, Gampaha, and Panadura areas, and areas with a large population.
E-cigarettes are being sold and distributed via online platforms and they are mostly designed as smart watches, pen drives, power banks, and fragrant bottles. The authorities are facing difficulties in identifying e-cigarettes as they do not consist of the components of a normal cigarette but instead smell like various fruits, such as mango, orange, and cherry.
Each E-Cigarette consists of 50,000 to 60,000 puffs and can be utilised at any moment until it runs dry, while it is powered by being recharged electronically, he said, adding that investigations have revealed that electronic cigarettes are entering Sri Lanka via the Katunayake Airport, Colombo Port, and other sea routes.
News
Establishment of an Institutional Framework to Inagurate Upper Hydro Catchment Areas Management Authority
Policy approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was granted at their meeting held on 08.06.2026 to establish the Upper Hydro Catchment Areas Management Authority for identification and
execution of a formal and long – lasting remedy to secure the central hills including the upper hydro catchment areas enabling them to sustain amidst extreme weather conditions
due to natural calamities and human activities as well as to be used for the sustainable development of the country.
Accordingly, a concept paper has been prepared including
institutional structure, activities, powers, active subject area as well as administrative and coordination mechanism for the proposed authority by an expert technical committee appointed by the Secretary to the President.
Based on the said concept paper, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the President to instruct the Legal Draftsman to prepare a draft bill including legal provisions required for the establishment of Upper Hydro Catchment Areas Management Authority.
News
Introduction of Flora and Fauna (Regulation of actions of the Indigenous Community within the nominated areas) Regulations
With the objective of securing the traditional livelihood and the eco system of the indigenous community, it has been recognized the necessity of introducing a formal regulation methodology to secure their engagement in livelihood activities by being more sensitive to the existing laws.
Thereby, the Fauna and Flora (regularizing) regulations under the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance (Authority 469) have been prepared so that nominated activities within the prescribed area to a member of the indigenous community
who has been registered for securing the rights acquired from law or custom or usage or traditional stance to execute an act within a certain state land that is fundamental to the survival of the indigenous community permission can be granted
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Environment to publish the said regulations in the government gazette notification and thereby submit to the Parliament for its concurrence.
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M. M. D. J. Senarathne, appointed Director General of the Department of National Botanical Gardens
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