Sixty percent of Colombo-Katunayake Expressway complete

Sixty percent of work on the Colombo-Katunayake Expressway has been completed. The rest of the work is progressing at a rapid pace, Ports and Highways Deputy Minister Nirmala Kotelawala said
"This will create a high mobility link between Colombo and the Bandaranaike International Airport enabling motorists to travel to the airport in 20 minutes," Kotelawala said.
He said work is expected to be completed by the end of 2012. The Expressway will be commissioned during the first quarter of 2013.
The length of the Expressway will be around 25.3 kilometres starting from the New Kelani Bridge and ending at the Airport Access Road at Katunayake.
The Expressway will have four to six lanes with the width ranging from 26 metres to 33.5 metres.
The total estimated cost of the project is US $ 292 million. Exim Bank of China is funding US$ 248. 2 of the total cost. The government has spent US $ 45 million on the project.
The deputy minister said the development of the country's road network is instrumental in accelerating development programmes.
"The commencement of the construction of this long awaited project will provide a number of benefits to the people. Among them are promoting outward migration of public from Colombo, improving user benefits to the rapidly expanding transport traffic and improving mobility needs of the industrial development areas in the vicinity and the associated container traffic," the deputy minister said.
"We have basically targeted to reduce prevailing high traffic congestion on the A3 road (Peliyagoda-Puttalama road)," he said.
"The Expressway will have 42 bridges and 100 culverts to ensure the smooth flow of traffic. We have completed the construction of 30 bridges and 87 culverts," he said.
A flyover, 480 metres long, is being erected in Hunupitiya. An 800 metre flyover will also be built from the Katunayake junction to the airport. There are five interchange, the deputy minister said.
The project is implemented by Metallurgical China Group Corporation.

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China, a tower of strength to Sri Lanka - Minister GL

'China was a tower of strength to Sri Lanka, especially when we faced various challenges in the international arena, External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L Peiris said.

Minister Prof. G.L Peiris

The minister was making the keynote address at the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and the People's Republic of China and 60th anniversary of Sri Lanka - China Rubber Rice Pact, at the Sirimavo Bandaranaike International Conference Hall yesterday.
The Sri Lanka China Friendship Association, Sri Lanka China Society, Association for Sri Lanka-China Social and Cultural Cooperation and Sri Lanka China Journalists' Forum in collaboration with the embassy of the People's Republic of China in Sri Lanka organized the ceremony.
"China has been the major partner in Sri Lanka, in the spheres of social , cultural, economic and more importantly, in the development of infrastructure facilities. The enormous contribution made by China to our development process was appreciable," Minister Peiris said.
"The five visits to China by President Mahinda Rajapaksa were an indication of the friendship and goodwill maintained by two countries," he said.
"Both countries helped each other during crisis situations and China always safeguarded the dignity and self respect of Sri Lanka at every turn. The friendship of the two countries has grown from strength to strength and this will further blossom in the years to come," the minister said.
"In addition, many important State of the Art buildings in Sri Lanka are the donations of China and I, being the External Affairs Minister of Sri Lanka pay tribute to China for the goodwill and friendship extended to us in this manner," he said. Chinese ambassador to Sri Lanka Wu Jianghao said the traditional ties between the two countries have a long history.
"When China was in a difficult situation in 1952, Sri Lanka came forward to support China by signing the Rubber Rice Pact. China also stood by Sri Lanka in safeguarding its sovereignty and independence, "the ambassador said. "No matter what happens in the international arena, China and Sri Lanka will remain friends in the future too," he stressed.
"Sri Lanka is heading towards rapid development and has progressed tremendously after the war," he said.
"China has always supported Sri Lanka's development process, "Ambassador Jianghao added. Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratnea and Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe also addressed the gathering. Ministers Nimal Siripala De Silva, Rauff Hakeem, A.H.M. Fowzie and Deputy Speaker Chandima Weerakkody were also present.
  Source:Daily News

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Keep away from wasp colonies’ - Wildlife Ministry

The Ministry of Wildlife and Agrarian Services has warned the Ministry of Cultural Affairs not to interfere with the wasp colonies around the Sigiriya rock fortress by attempting to remove the wasp nests in the rock.
The Wildlife and Agrarian Services Ministry’s Wildlife Conservation Department officials told the Cultural Affairs Ministry’s Central Cultural Fund , if the latter should do anything to upset the biodiversity around the Sigirya Rock , they would institute legal action against the Cultural Fund, the Daily News reliably learns.
The Wildlife and Agrarian Ministry pointed out that it is not the business of the Cultural Affairs Ministry to control insect behaviour. Meanwhile, thousands of visitors to the Sigiriya Rock , including children and foreigners were victims of wasp attacks during the last five months. Cultural Affairs Ministry Secretary Wimal Rupasinghe said, wasp attacks have become a serious problem for the Sigiriya visitors.
Asked if they had taken any steps to control the situation, Rupasinghe said , “ We have done what we can. We made it compulsory for visitors to Sigiriya to wear protective jackets, provided by an insurance company”.
Asked if the Ministry of Wildlife and Agrarian Services has taken any steps to control the stinging behaviour of the insects, Secretary Rupasinghe said: “We are not in a position to control their behaviour.
We have been told that we cannot do anything to control the insects by way of removing their nests in the rock or by using insecticide, by the Wildlife Conservation Department. “They said if we do so they will take legal action against us ( the Cultural Affairs Ministry ) for carrying out a task that should have been carried out by the Wildlife Department. “However , the Wildlife Department has not taken any steps so far to control wasp attacks despite our repeated requests,” he added.
source :Daily news.lk

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New museum for H'tota

New museum for H'tota  [June 25 2012]    

The National Museum Department is drawing up a plan to establish a new museum in Hambantota next year, Museum Superintendent Ranjith Hewage told the Daily News.  This museum will be named Hambantota Uruma, he said. Conservation programmes of the two old buildings in the Kachcheri premises will commence next month, he said. The Treasury has allocated Rs 18 million for this task, he added.  Traditional and endemic items related to the Hambantota area will be exhibited in the proposed museum. Historical items related to art, religion and politics will be displayed, Hewage said.

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