Road Development Authority Has Earned Rs.3 Million From Vehicles Used Colombo -Katunayake Express Highway

Since the Colombo-Katunayake Express Highway was opened for Public  since yesterday(27)evening  the Road Development Authority (RDA) has earned around Rs.3 million from over  11,000 vehicles  that used the highway during 6 p.m Yesterday(27) to 7 A.M today(28) the sources said.

Around 3000 vehicles have been used the highway within first hour after it was opened for the public the sources have added.

Meanwhile the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB)has deployed 13 Luxury Buses in the newly built highway since this morning and it will operate daily from Colombo and Negambo .the number of luxury buses deploy in the highway will be increased in future according to the SLTB.these buses will operate from every 15 minutes during the day it has been revealed.

Coconut Development Minister Says He Cannot Control The Prices Of Coconuts

The Coconut Development and Estate Development Minister Jagath Pushpakumara has said that he cannot control the escalating price of Coconuts in the market and it's in the hands of the vendor .

 Due to the  dry weather prevailed   in  the country last year  the local coconut production has drastically dropped and it caused the higher prices of Coconuts at present  the minister has revealed.however the coconut prices have dropped from Rs.50 to Rs.41 during 10th of October he has said.although can control  the coconut prices when the price is between Rs.33-35 cannot control when it increases to Rs.50 or 55 minister has further said.

Meanwhile the price of coconuts are in  increase again according to market sources.

Colombo-Katunayake Express Highway Was Inaugurated

The second express highway in Sri Lanka , Colombo-Katunayake Express Highway was inaugurated by President Mahinda Rajapaksha this morning with the presence of large number of local and foreign dignitaries and local crowd.the Highway was built by spending US Dollars 350 Million and it was opened to the public since 6 p.m this evening.

New Colombo -Katunayake Express High Way Is To be Opned Tomorrow

The 25.8 Kilo Meters Long newly built Colombo-Katunayake Express Highway is scheduled to be opened tomorrow(27) morning  by President Mahinda Rajapaksha.The Sri  Lanka's second e class Highway will link Colombo City with Katunayake Bandaranaike International Air Port.

The speed limit of Colombo-Katunayake Highway is 80 Kilo Meters per hour(50 Miles Per Hour) for the first eight kilo meters and110 kilo meters per hour(68 Kilo Meters per hour) for the rest of the road.the new express highway is having 42 bridges and 88 culverts.through using express highway it is expected to reduce the one or two hour travel to 20 minutes.

The First e class Expressway the Southern Express Highway has inaugurated recently and the third express highway ,northern express highway is under construction. meanwhile Sri Lanka Transport Board has planned to deploy 12 luxury buses on the  Colombo-Katunayake Express Highway.meanwhile the Ministry Of Highways has announced the toll prices for vehicles using Colombo -Katunayake express highway.under this Rs.300 will be charged from Cars,Jeeps and small vans using the express highway from palyiagoda to Katunayke  while Rs.600 will be charged from lorries and Buses.

Tamil National Alliance(TNA) To Boycott Commonwealth Summit

The Tamil National Alliance(TNA) has decided to boycott the forthcoming Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting(CHOGM) scheduled to be held in Colombo from 15th to 17th of November according to party sources.this decision has been reached during a party meeting held yesterday (25)evening in Jaffna under the patronage of TNA Leader Parliamentarian R.Sambandan.

Although the party avoid on participating the Commonwealth Meeting it has decided to handover the heads of states who are  participating the event a written letter on human rights violations happening in the country sources have added.

The Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting is scheduled to be held at The Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall in Colombo next month and several leaders including British,Australian and New Zealand prime ministers have already confirmed that they are participating the event while Canadian Prime Minister has announced he will not participate the event.

Meanwhile the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has still not confirmed on his participation to the meeting due to the request  of Tamil Nadu State Government lead by the Chief Minister Jayalaitha   to boycott the  event.Prince Charles the son of the Queen Elizabeth scheduled to  be participated the event representing her due to the poor health of the queen who is also the head of the Commonwealth Group .

120,000 Sri Lankans Hospitalized Annually Due To Poisoning

Around 120,000 Sri Lankans have been hospitalized annually and out of them 1000-1500 have died due to poisoning Ministry Of Health has revealed.out of the total number of people getting hospitalized due to poisoning 55,000-60,000 have been poisoned due to insecticides and pesticides and 20,000 due to drug and other poisoning ministry has said.

Annually around 40,000-45,000 Sri Lankans are getting sick due to snake bites and 100 people have died due to the poisoning of snake bites.

In the view of to  educate as well as to making awareness among people on poisoning and the toxic substances which lead to poisoning Ministry Of Health with the help of National Poisoning Center in Colombo National Hospital have declared a National Week On preventing Poisoning from 28th of October to 03rd of November.an educational programmes and seminars to make aware people on poisoning are scheduled to be held during this week.

Have Five Pharmacists Attached To Cancer Hospital Received Work Suspension Orders As Stated By Health Ministry ?

Five Pharmacists attached to Maharagama ,Cancer Hospital have temporarily been  suspended from their work due to their involvement in selling an expensive Cancer Injection vials "Oncasper " prescribed for Child Leukemia Patients received by the hospital to  Drug Company that supplied those vials Health Ministry has announced today(24)according to the ministry statement issued regarding this the five pharmacists have temporarily been suspended from their work until the inquiry regarding the incident is concluded.

The Drug Company involved in the scam with Pharmacists too black listed according to the Ministry.the five Pharmacists who were punished have alleged as illegally sold   "Oncasper" injection vials to  drug company which has supplied those vials to the Cancer Hospital and the Company it self again sold that to the hospital Health Ministry has revealed.Health Authorities have spent Rs.237,000 to buy one vial of the said Cancer Injection ministry has said.

However when contacted the Cancer Hospital Authorities have said that no Pharmacist attached to Cancer Hospital has received either any charge sheet or an order regarding the work suspension.