News in brief
 

Honorary Doctorate for Nayaka Thera

Ven. Kanumuldeniye Sri Dharmarshoka Nayake Thera, the Viharadhipathi of Dehiwala Navapolonnaru Gal Viharaya has been awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the Buddhist Sangha Council of South California, Los Angeles, USA. He will be felicitated at a ceremony chaired by Ven. Dr. Walpola Piyananda Nayaka Thera, the Chief Sangha Nayaka of America at the Nava Polonnaruwa Gal Viharaya, on March 26, at 7 p.m. Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia Municipal Council Mayor Dhanasiri Amaratunga and the Council's Opposition Leader Kesarralal Gunasekera will attend the occasion.

Dr. E.W. Adikaram centenary ceremony

The centenary commemorative ceremony of the late Dr. E.W. Adikaram will be held at Ananda Shasthralaya, Kotte on March 29 at 8.30 a.m.

The ceremony will start with a series of lectures and the launch of ten books written to explain his philosophy to the younger generation. Principal of the school Ven. A. Gunarathana Thera, Samanchandra Ranasinghe and W.A. Jayawardane will address the meeting.

The ten books are written by Jayantha Wijewickrema and published by Godage Publishers. Some of the books written by Dr. Adikaram will also be released at the ceremony.

Program to develop roads

Thihagoda Pradeshiya Sabha has decided to launch a program to develop the rural roads in the area which were not repaired under any project so far.

Five dilapidated roads are at Naimbala, Elambathalagoda, Batuwita - Aluthwatta, Batuwita - Pansalawatta, Nadugala Bachchigewatta have already been selected to develop under the proposed program.

Soup Festival at Great Wall

The recently renovated Great Wall Restaurant at Galle Road, Colombo 03, with three other outlets in and around Colombo will present a soup festival until March 31. There will also be a special set menu on March 27 to celebrate Easter Sunday.

The restaurant's newest link to the chain is its Great Lantern outlet at the Premier Pacific Pinnacle Food Court which was opened on March 7. The Great Lantern has been designed as a fine dining restaurant with special menus.

Restaurant Manager Adrian Gomez said the soups will give an inkling of authentic Chinese cuisine.

Drowns in Kelani ganga

A group of devotees from Hettimulla, Kegalle went to Sri Pada on 13th March and having finished their religious rites were returning on the following day.

At Thunkande on the Kitulgala-Yatiyantota road they stopped their vehicle near the Kelani ganga for a bath. While they were bathing, a little boy was swept downward by a strong current. A 31-year-old youth in the group, one Chaminda Sampath, a bachelor, jumped into the river to rescue the boy, but he was drowned.However the boy was rescued by some men bathing downstream.

The Kitulgala police sent some divers to find the body of the youth but so far they were unable to recover the body.

Kitulgala SI Jayanath Wanasinghe with a police team is conducting investigations.

The Inspector requested the press to give wide publicity about the danger in bathing in the Kelani river without knowing the danger spots. The strangers should always consult the villagers before bathing, he said. He also said this is the third drowned within a week.