Failure of the rain gods has caused havoc in almost all parts of the country inconveniencing both man and beast. Here a family in Pungudutivu trudging a long distance to fetch water, which has become an elusive commodity, to cater to their domestic needs. Picture by Wimal Karunatilleke

Severe drought hits cultivation

The severe drought in many parts of the country has threatened the livelihood of thousands of farmers, with 150,000 acres of paddy lands in Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Puttalam districts at risk of being destroyed. Lack of education in water management among farmers and the people in the dry zone has aggravated this situation.

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Sri Lanka has least number of underweight children in South Asia

Of all South Asian nations, Sri Lanka has the lowest number of underweight and stunted children, World Bank’s South Asia Region Human Development Unit’s senior nutrition specialist Nkosinathi Mbuya said. He said 22 percent of Sri Lankan children aged up to five,

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Media should support national agenda - Ganegala

The media has a collective responsibility to join in the forward march and development drive of the country by supporting the country’s national agenda, Mass Media and Information Ministry Secretary W B Ganegala said. He was addressing a workshop for journalists organized by Sri Lanka Press Council and Government Information Department at the Media Development Centre ,

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UGC seeks court clarification on Z-score issuing authority

The University Grants Commission(UGC) will obtain legal assistance to clarify the authority empowered to issue Z-score marks, University Grants Commission chairman Professor Gamini Samaranayaka said. He said the Z-score is issued not by the University Grants Commission but by the Examinations Department. But the university entrance cut-off marks are issued by the UGC.

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