A Plan To Reduce Noise Pollution In The City Of Colombo

The Public Health Department of the Colombo Municipal Council has decided to introduce a Horn  Free Day and Horn Free Zone for the Colombo City coincide with  World Environment Day falls on this Thursday(05) to reduce the  increased noise pollution in the  city.

The noise pollution in the city has been increased by 8 Decibel Units during last 10 years and now stands at 72 Decibels the Chief Medical Officer Of Health Dr.Rohan Wijemuni has said.due to this situation diseases like High Blood Pressure are  in increase among adults and children Dr.Wijemuni has revealed.

According to Dr.Wijemuni the doubling of the number of vehicles enter the Colombo City daily during last 10 years is the main reason for  increase in   noise pollution.around 250,000 vehicles are entering the city daily at present when compare to the number of vehicles entered 10 years back which was around 100,000 .

"Therfore the Public Health Department has decided to introduce a Horn Free Day and Horn Free Zone at seven selected roads on this Thursday between 8.30 a.m to 10.30 a.m to aware the public on the  importance of  reducing noise pollution and during that time period there's no stopping of vehicles in the city" Colombo Chief MOH has stressed.

Meanwhile according to a latest survey done by Central Environment Authority and Industrial Technology Institute around 90% of the noise polluters in Colombo City are bus drivers and drivers of heavy vehicles who are tooting horns unnecessarily .Sri Lanka has recognized  as the only country  that tooting horns unnecessarily even at traffic jams,bus stops and sometimes at co lour lights researchers have said.  

Around 15 Persons Died Due To The Adverse Weather Conditions Prevails In Several Parts Of The Country

Around 15 persons including members of the same family have died due to the floods and land slides occurred in several parts of the country since yesterday (01)as a result of the current adverse weather conditions the  Disaster Management Center (DMC) has announced.

Out  of the 15 deaths reported 12 are from the Kalutara District(Western Province) and among them were father and two children from the same family DMC said.Three deaths were reported from Colombo and Matara Districts (Southern Province)
.In Colombo a couple reside in Malabe Area have died when a wall of their house collapsed this morning.in Matara District two youths are reported as missing due to the adverse weather conditions.

The authorities have disconnected the Power Supply for the most parts of Kalutara District in view of the safety of those who  trapped in flood waters out there it has been reported.

Heavy Showers accompanied by thunder,lightning and gusty winds prevails in most parts of the country for second consecutive day today while roads ,bus and railway stations  and houses in some places remains under  water the  Disaster Management Center has said.

Navy Arrested 29 Indian Fishermen Who Were Illegally Fishing In Sri Lankan Waters

Sri Lankan Navy has last night arrested 29 Indian Fishermen who were illegally fishing in Sri Lankan waters of the north western coast of Talaimannar .the fishermen along with their trawlers were arrested and they are due to be handed over to the fisheries authorities in Talaimannar for legal action according to navy sources.

The navy has said that the arrested Indian Fishermen from Tamil Nadu have clearly violated the International Maritime Boundary Line by  using an  illegal method of fishing the bottom trawling in Sri Lankan waters.earlier Sri Lankan Government has announced that the Indian Government has agreed to phase out the destructive methods of fishing like  bottom trawling in waters between Sri Lankan and India.

Railway Signal System And Some Main Roads Affected Due To The Showers And Lightning

The Trains started from Colombo Fort and Maradana Rail Way Stations have got delayed this evening due to the lightning disrupting  the signal systems.

Meanwhile several roads in Colombo including Thunmulla Junction,Bauddaloka  Mawatha and R.A De Mel Mawatha are inundated at the moment due to the heavy showers prevails in Colombo since few hours.a heavy traffic is there due to this situation it has been reported.

Consumer Affairs Authority Has Seized 40,000 KG Of Expired Imported Chocolates In Colombo

The Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) officers have yesterday(30) seized around 40,000 Killo Grammes of expired imported chocolates which are unsuitable for human consumption  at  a ware house in Colombo -Negambo main road.

The stock of expired chocolates believed to be worth more than  Rs.100 million and have been expired over a year ago consumer affairs authority has revealed.the stock of chocolates were been repackaged with different labels and stored in the ware house in view of   issuing to the market at the time of the raid.these chocolates are imported from India CAA sources added.

New Health Ministry Secretary To Be Assumed Her Duties On Monday

The Secretary of the Ministry Of Plantations Mrs.Sudharma Karunaratne is due to be assumed her duties as the new secretary of the Ministry Of Health this Monday (02) according to sources.she is replacing the outgoing health ministry secretary Dr.Nihal Jayathilake who has already been assumed  duties as the secretary of Economic Development Ministry .

Dr.Jayathilake has  replaced the former secretary of the economic development ministry and current treasury secretary Dr.P.B Jayasundare.

Meanwhile according to the health ministry sources there are rumors that the ousted media officer of the ministry W.M.D Wanninayake is planning to return to the post after new secretary has assume her duties on this Monday.the former media officer was sacked from his post by the outgoing health secretary Dr.Jayathilake last week due to some charges against him including exercising luxurious privileges not entitled to  the media officer post and  involving some  corrupt tender deals.

Sri Lankan Children Aged 6-59 Months Are Suffering From Anemia-Newest Nutrition Survey Reveals

According to the newest Nutrition Survey conducted by the Medical Research Institute(MRI) in Colombo  15.1% of the children aged   6 months to 59 months are suffering from Iron Deficiency Anemia .a majority of these children with anemia which is around 34% are belongs to the age group 6 months to 11 months .

Approximately 15% of the preschool children and 20% of the School going children are suffering from anemia according to survey results.the prevalence of anemia among non pregnant women aged 15 years to 49 years was 22.2% and among pregnant women was 16.7%.

Addressing the media seminar held today(29) at the Health Education Bureau titled"Iron Rich Food for health,strength and intelligence" to mark the National Nutrition Month falls on June  Dr.Renuka Jayathissa a senior Nutritionist attach to UNICEF has said that Iron Deficiency Anemia is caused due to the insufficient dietary intake,poor absorption of iron and the loss of blood (eg:Parasitic Infestations and menstrual bleeding).

" The Ministry Of Health has already launched a nutritional plan to aim of reducing the anemia among children and women in the country by 50% at the end of 2016" she said.rich dietary sources of Iron are in red meet like chicken,pork,mutton and beef also in small fish,organic meet like liver ,vegetables like green leaves and pulses like beans,soya been,green gram,chickpea,cowpea,ulundu and dhal.products of these pulses-tofu,been curd and soya meet dr.jayathissa has stressed.

The economic impact of anemia is high and it is around US Dollars 50 billion loss in gross domestic product according to her.if the children aged 6 months to 12 months supplied diet using iron sprinkles at home a US Dollars 37 gain in productivity can be reached per US One Dollar spent it has been revealed.