News
Wildlife Director finally cracks the whip against those feeding wild elephants from vehicles

By Ifham Nizam
Department of Wildlife and Conservation Director General Chandana Suriyabandara has instructed his officials to arrest those who feed wild elephants and behave in a way that harm the wild animals. A Department official yesterday said that they would resort to take legal action against those who fed wild animals, particularly elephants. The Department also said that during the past four days, due to the deployment of mobile vehicles on the Buttala-Kataragama road, wild elephants had stopped blocking the road, and incidents of damage to vehicles had not been reported during that period.
Agriculture, Wildlife and Forest Resources Conservation, Minister Mahinda Amaraweera has asked the Director General of Wildlife to continue with the short-term programme –mobile services- immediately to prevent this situation.Accordingly from 5.00 am to midnight on the last four days, officers and vehicles of the Yala Forest Site Office were deployed to drive the wild elephants staying on the Buttala – Kataragama road to pick up food from the public into the forest and to prevent accidents to vehicles caused by some overzealous animals and civilians, a programme was implemented using mobile vehicles.
Suriyabandara said that the wildlife department has decided to continue with the programme from now on. The Department of Wildlife says that the damage caused by wild elephants had increased as some people traveling in vehicles on this road fed the wild elephants.
News
Coconut auction volumes down

By Nisheni Atapattu
ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s coconut auction volumes dropped to 21,569 nuts, with 89,687 nuts offered, recording an all time low at this week’s auction, Coconut Development Authority data showed.
The auction was conducted at a fixed price of 140,000 rupees for a thousand nuts for the fourth straight week on February 13.
It is uncertain why all the nuts offered were not bought at the auction.
Last week 177,362 nuts were offered, down and 173,007 nuts were sold.
Volumes offered at the auction have moved down after a fixed price of 140 per nut was agreed.
Wholesale prices of a nut were listed at 200-210 rupees for a large nut and 180-190 rupees for a small nut in the local market on January 13.
Coconut oil local wholesale price was 830,000 to 850,000.00 rupees per metric ton.
Coconut shells were 50,000 to 51,000 rupees per metric ton.
Coconut shell charcoal was 178,000 per metric ton.
News
New Catholic Bishop of Mannar to be ordained on Feb 22

by Norman Palihawadane
Episcopal Ordination of Anthonipillai Gananpragasam as the Bishop of Mannar is scheduled to be held next Saturday (22) at 9.30 am at Our Lady of Madhu shrine.
Bishop Anthonipillai was born on July 12, 1965, in Adampan in Mannar diocese and studied philosophy and theology at the Saint Francis Xavier Major Seminary in Jaffna.
He was ordained a priest on April 7, 1994, for the clergy of Mannar.
After ordination, he held the roles of parish vicar of Murunkan (1994-1996), secretary to the bishop (1996-1999), parish priest of Cheddikulam (1999-2003), parish priest of Pallimunai (2003-2006), parish priest of Vankalai (2006-2009), rector of the diocesan minor seminary (2014-2018), and parish priest of St. Sebastian Cathedral (2018-2021) and Pesalai (2021-2023).
After obtaining a licentiate in religious education from Fordham University in New York (2010-2014), he attended a course in youth pastoral care in India (2022). Since 2023, he has served as administrator of the Our Lady of Madhu National Shrine in Mannar.
News
SJB’s primary aim is to unite the right in SL: Marikkar

SJB Colombo District MP SM Marikkar says that the primary aim of his party’s discussions with the UNP is to create a united right-wing political platform, bringing together all right-wing forces in the country.
Addressing the media at the SJB headquarters in Colombo last Thursday, Marikkar said that the focus is not simply on forming an alliance, but rather on uniting right-wing ideologies. He noted that divisions within the right-wing political camps have led to approximately 2.5 million people abstaining from voting.
He said that while the SJB is committed to uniting the right-wing, they will not align with corrupt individuals. Even if the SJB faces defeat in elections, Marikkar assured that the party consists of only clean, non-corrupt politicians.
He said that the NPP came to power by capitalizing on public discontent and promising to arrest all corrupt individuals and fraudsters within 24 hours.
However, during the 2015 Yahapalana government, significant relief measures were implemented within just a month, including reduced fuel prices, allowances for pregnant mothers, salary increases for government employees, and lower gas cylinder prices. Genuine promises should result in immediate action upon gaining power, yet the current government is failing to govern effectively and is merely offering excuses.
“Moreover, despite securing a two-thirds majority, the current government is displaying arrogance. Both Mahinda Rajapaksa and Gotabaya Rajapaksa once held two-thirds majorities, only to be defeated in subsequent elections. While a two-thirds majority can pave the way for long-term success if used wisely, its misuse can lead to inevitable downfall. The people placed great trust in this government, granting it a massive mandate. However, the government is now deceiving the public. We urge the people to remember the promises made during the election and the extent of the mandate they gave, and to vote against this government in the upcoming local government elections,” Marikkar said.
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