News
Workers continue to protest for third consecutive day against move to privatise CEB
By Rathindra Kuruwita
Employees of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), on Friday (05), continued their protest for the third consecutive day against what they called a move to privatise the CEB on the pretext of restructuring it.
Union leaders say that they are protesting the Government’s efforts to break up the CEB by revoking the Ceylon Electricity Board Act (No. 17 of 1969) through the introduction of a new Electricity Act.
The Ministry of Power and Energy cancelled the leave of all CEB employees, but many of them attended the protest, especially yesterday.CEB United Trade Union Alliance Convener Ranjan Jayalal said that they would not allow the government to implement the proposed Electricity Act, even if it was passed by Parliament.
The Bill was to be presented to Parliament last year; it was postponed after the Opposition MPs pointed out glaring mistakes in the text.
Kosala Abeysinghe, President of the Ceylon Electricity Board Technician’s Union, said 10,000 workers had joined demonstrations countrywide.W.A. Prabath, Secretary of the CEB’s Nidahas Sevaka Sangamaya said that the Minister had not discussed the Act with unions.
Latest News
Advisory for severe lightning issued to the Districts of Kaluthara, Rathnapura, Galle and Matara
Advisory for Severe Lightning
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre
at 12.30 p.m. 13 December 2025 valid for the period until 11.00 p.m. 13 December 2025 for Kaluthara, Rathnapura, Galle and Matara Districts
The public are warned that thundershowers accompanied with severe lightning are likely to occur at some places in the Kaluthara, Rathnapura, Galle and Matara Districts.
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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Pregnant Mothers to receive Rs 5000 Nutrition Allowance in December
Based on the prevailing disaster situation and the upcoming festive season, arrangements have been made to provide a nutrition allowance worth Rs. 5,000 to pregnant mothers.
This allowance, which will be provided only once, will be given to pregnant mothers who were registered at maternal clinics on or before 30 November 2025.
The distribution will take place through the Divisional Secretariat offices from 16 December, as a program of the National Secretariat for Early Childhood Development, which is affiliated with the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs.
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640 deaths, 211 missing as at 6:00AM today (13)
The Situation Report released by the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) at 6:00 AM today (13th December 2025) confirms that 640 persons have died and another 211 persons are missing due to flooding and landslides that took place in Sri Lanka within the past two weeks.

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