Wednesday 6th December, 2006 5

KURUNEGALA: The longstanding human-elephant con-flict, which has taken a heavytoll on both sides, has todaybecome so common place thatpeople have begun to accept itas crisis that has to be put upwith. However, when an ele-phant is killed there is a hueand cry raised by wildlife offi-cials and enthusiasts, butwhen humans are killed byroving jumbos, nobody seems

to care anymore.Wildlife Conservation

Department figures show that12 persons were killed by wildelephants in the KurunegalaDistrict alone, betweenJanuary and October thisyear.

The deaths were reportedfrom Horasankulama, Matale,Kadawala, Pahala Koonvevaand Ulpathgama inGalgamuwa.

Jumbos kill12 personsin 10 months

Education

Kolitha JagathKahanda (47) hasbeen appointed adirector to theblue chipDistilleriesCompany of SriLanka Limited(DCSL) witheffect fromDecember 01,2006. Mr. KahandaJoined DCSL’s topmanagement in 1993 fromColombo Hilton. He is aproduct of St. Thomas’College, Matale.

Well known hockey play-er in late 70s, he was amember of the NationalHockey team and inDefence Services hockeyteam. He also captained theNational youth hockeyteam and also Defence serv-ices Under 23 team. He isthe son of the late Mr. A.Kahanda and Mrs. RubyKahanda of West Covina,California, USA.

He is married to

SuwadanaDambulugalaand has onedaughter,Nithya. He isalso the son-in-law of thenfamous cinemaand TV personal-ity Late JoeDambulugalaand Mrs.

Dambulugala.Mr. Kahanda will be a

director of DCSL whichhas the fifth largest marketcapitalisation in theColombo Stock Exchange.

Headed by its Chairman,business magnate Mr.Harry Jayewardene, DCSLis also one of the largestconglomerates in Sri Lankawith interest in beverages,insurance and financialservices, telecommunica-tions, tea and rubber plan-tations, power and energy,shipping, logistics, health-care, hotels and hotelsmanagement.

KK.. JJ.. KKaahhaannddaa aappppooiinntteeddDDCCSSLL ddiirreeccttoorr

The Deniyaya — Beralapanatara bus route via Talapalakanda and Hanford plantations is hardlymotorable now. The entire road is in an utterly neglected and dilapidated condition. This pic. shows abus bound for Deniyaya passing a point close to Talapalakanda on this rugged road. — (Pic. NimalPalihawadane, Akuressa Corr.)

Nimal Palihawadane,Akuressa Corr.

The government has decid-ed to set up two more outsta-tion training centres for offi-cers in the Sri Lanka PublicAdministration Service inaddition to the existing train-ing centre in Colombo.

One training centre will belocated in Kamburupitiya in

the Matara district with theobjective of strengtheningthe regional administrationand thereby accelerate thedevelopment programme ofthe government according tothe Minister of Home Affairsand Deputy Minister ofInfrastructure FacilitiesHousing and Fisheries,Chandrasiri Gajadeera.

Nimal Palihawadane, AkuressaCorr.

The Kamburupitiya police producedbefore the Chief Magistrate, Matara aman who had allegedly killed a monkeyfor his food and the suspect wascharged with killing a protected ani-mal.

The suspect who had killed the mon-key had been cooking its meat in hiskitchen for his lunch at the time whenthe police raided his place accompa-nied by the veterinary medical officer

of Kamburupitiya, Dr. NiroshanGamage. The police had also recovereda pot of cooked flesh and uncookedflesh of a monkey from his house andthe suspect was arrested and producedin the Matara Magistrate Court.

The Chief Magistrate, Matara,Rohan Jayawardena allowed the sus-pect to be released on bail in a sum ofRs. 2,500/-. Sub-Inspector, KeerthiBandara of the Kamburupitiya policeprosecuted and the case has been fixedfor further hearing on 10.01.2007.

Bingiriya Corr.“The Human Resources Authority of

the NWP-PC has allocated a sum of 400million rupees for producing and buy-ing local medicinal herbs andAyurvedic drugs. 48 gardens of medici-nal herbs are to be set up next yearpaving the way for 1750 educated butunemployed youths to get self-employ-ment opportunities” said Mr. AthulaWijesinghe, the Chief Minister of theNWP-PC addressing a conference ofAyurvedic physicians of theKurunegala district at the Bingiriya

Divisional Secretary’s office.The Chief Minister said that all reg-

istered Ayurvedic physicians in theKurunegala and Puttalam districts willqualify for a pension scheme launchedby the government and a sum of 114million rupees is allocated annually forpaying pensions to all native physiciansin the country by the government. Thechief Minister added that a housingcomplex for native physicians in theprovince will be built next year as sug-gested by Minister of IndigenousMedicine Tissa Karaliyadda.

Arrested for killingmonkey for food

Kurunegala: TheNational Guards of the SriLanka Army have played amajor role in protecting thecountry against terrorism,said Major General U. B. L.Fernando, theSenaadhinayaka of theSvechchaa Bala Senaava ofthe Sri Lanka Army.

He was the chief guest atthe annual colour presenta-tion ceremony of the NGSL,which was held at theKurunegala Town Hallrecently.

The NGSL had been con-tributing to the national secu-rity effort of the government,working shoulder to shoulderwith other battalions since itsinception in 1990, he said.

“At this decisive point oftime when the sovereignty ofthe country is being chal-lenged by a group of terror-ists, the dedication of theNGSL counts more than ever.I am happy to see that it hasproduced a number of talent-ed sportsmen in the fields ofcycling, karate, judo and vol-leyball and in 2005. They haveexcelled at many sportsevent,” he said.

Major General Fernandowas joined at the ceremonyby the ex-servicemen MajorGeneral, S. B. Panabokka, S.T. Tennakoon, A. M. B.Amunugama, A. C.Obeysekera and the SeniorSuperintendent of policeBerty Gopallava too.

(Hector Yapa -Bandarawela Corr.)

The farmers of Uvahave been badly affectedby the heavy showers pre-vailing in the area. Mostfarmers complain thatthey have to face numer-ous problems due to thepresent situation.

Their paddy cultiva-tion has been adverselyaffected by the heavyrains. They have also hadto step up the use of agrochemicals to protect thecrop. “Chemicals arerather expensive andbeyond our reach,” afarmer told The Island,“we expect the govern-ment to intervene to helpus.”

The rains have been soheavy that sand has beenwashed into paddy fieldsdestroying the cultiva-tion.

Landslides havedestroyed a number ofhouses of farmers inremote areas and strongwinds have blown theroofs of several huts, Mr.M. Gunasekera, a farmerin Udaperuwa Kinigamasaid. His house has alsobeen damaged by anearthslip.

Mr. Nandapala anotherfarmer in KinigamaBandarawela said

“I have grown carrot inmy paddy field. The tor-rential rain has destroyedmy cultivation as we can-not afford pesticides,” hesaid.

As a result, the pricesof vegetables have goneup due to a shortage in theupcountry. Beans sell at80 rupees per kilo andtomatoes at Rs. 75. Pricesare expected to go up fur-ther during the on comingChristmas season.

This paddy field has been completely destroyed due to the overflowing of the anicut in Kinigama. (Pic.by Hector Yapa, Bandarawela)

Uva farmersbadly affectedTwo more Public

AdministrationService Centres

Praiseworthy jobby national guards

Heavy showers experienced at present have rendered the Rawana Ellawaterfall, which is on the Ella Wellawaya Road, more picturesque. It isattracting large crowds. (Pic. by Hector Yapa, Bandarawela Corr.)

Allocation of Rs. 400 millionfor Ayurvedic drugs

Kahanda