Nearly 40% Sri Lankans consume alcohol

Nearly 40 per cent of Sri Lankan adults––more than 35 per cent males and two per cent females––consume alcohol, the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol (NATA) says.

Addressing the media at the Information Department to announce the ‘National Alcohol Summit-2016’ scheduled to commence today (04), NATA Chairman, Dr Palitha Abeykoon, said a survey carried out in 2008 showed over 48 percent Sri Lankan men consumed alcohol.

Dr. Abeykoon said that the alcohol industry claimed that it helped the government rake in a large amount of revenue, but the truth was otherwise. The total amount of taxes collected last year from the industry amounted to Rs. 106 billion while the Health Ministry spent over Rs. 140 billion on battling non communicable diseases (NCDs) and treating victims of accidents due to alcohol consumption. Alcohol caused approximately 60 NCDs and led to domestic violence and child abuse, Dr Abeykoon said.

The summit organised by the Health Ministry in collaboration with NATA would be held at the BMICH with President Maithripala Sirisena as the Chief Guest. The theme will be ‘Towards Alcohol free Sri Lanka.’

The NATA Chairman observed that each village wasted about Rs. 175,000 per month on alcohol and Rs. 150,000 on cigarettes and other tobacco products. The National Policy on Alcohol Control, to be launched at the Summit, would fulfill a long-felt need, Dr Abeykoon said.

Health Ministry Director for Mental Health Dr. Chitramali de Silva said the goal of the National Policy was the elimination of all forms of promotion of alcohol products, to enforce pricing, trade and investment policies related to the different aspects of alcohol trade, to reduce availability of and accessibility to alcohol and to strengthen supportive services and rehabilitation with assistance from the community. She observed that the main target groups as regards the implementation of the policy were the youth and the poverty stricken people.

Technical Officer, Management of Substance Abuse, WHO Geneva, Dag Rekve said that annually over three million people died in the world due to alcohol consumption.

Two teens self immolate

Two teenage girls who self-immolated last Monday (1) evening, over a love dispute, have succumbed to their injuries, Police said.

The girls, both aged 17 years were cousins. They had set themselves ablaze after the father of one had lodged a complaint with the Police regarding his daughter having an affair with a boy, Police said.

The incident had taken place in the Madulsima area. According to the Police, one girl had succumbed to her injuries on the same day, while the other died yesterday (2) afternoon.

Madulsima Police are conducting investigations.

'Tuk Tuk Scam' Targeting Foreigners Captured On Camera

A tourist from UK has released a video which apparently shows a tuk tuk scam in Colombo, where two people attempt to lure him in to taking a ride which he is not interested in.

The incident takes place at Fort, Colombo.

One individual starts a conversation with the foreigner and informs him that there was a religious event taking place nearby which could be seen once a year. The event showcases a number of elephants, he adds.

A three wheeler appears and the local man claims that it is a government three wheeler. He shows the state emblem on the number plate as proof of his claim.

However, the foreigner refuses to take the ride to the 'religious event' saying that he has to meet a friend.

The government of Sri Lanka has no three wheeler taxi service.

According to the man who filmed the incident, he was aware of the scam which is in operation in Colombo.

"I read about scammers in Colombo Sri Lanka who lure people that are alone and vulnerable into their Tuk Tuk with the intention to rob them. I read about one girl who was lured into a Tuk Tuk by a man who befriended her on the street and told her it was a special day and there was a big ceremony a short distance away. As he was talking a Tuk Tuk pulled up and the man told her it was a government Tuk Tuk with a meter and was very cheap, he showed her a coin and put it next to the sign on the number plate as proof it was a genuine government Tuk Tuk..The girl fell for the story and got into the Tuk Tuk and was taken to a remote part where she was forced to pay a fare of $100 dollars or be stranded. She paid out of fear. I was testing out my GoPro camera when I was approached by a man who told a similar story I left my camera running and pretended to show some interest. I knew they were scammers from the start. There are no government Tuk Tuks in Sri Lanka" he wrote on youtube.

Many missing After Bridge on Indian Highway Collapses

At least 22 people are missing after a highway bridge connecting the city of Mumbai with the beach resort state of Goa in western India collapsed.

Officials said two buses carrying passengers plunged into a flooded river after the collapse early on Wednesday.Police officer Sanjay Patil told the Associated Press that rescuers had not spotted any vehicles or survivors.

Heavy rains are hindering rescue operations. Traffic has been diverted to a new bridge in the area.

OP Singh, chief of the state-run National Disaster Response Force, said 80 rescuers, including divers, had been rushed to the area.

He said early reports indicated that at least two buses, travelling on the old bridge, fell into the Savitri river which was flooded by heavy monsoon rains.

"The buses are not traceable within a kilometre of the bridge. Due to downstream current, the buses may have been swept further away," Rakesh Ranjan of the National Disaster Response Force told.

In March, a flyover under construction in the city of Kolkata (Calcutta) collapsed, killing at least 20 people and injuring nearly 100.

And in 2011, some 32 people died and 132 were injured after a bridge collapsed at a political event in Darjeeling in West Bengal.

Mother, two children die in train crash

Three people including two children were killed after a train collided with a motorbike at an unprotected railway crossing in Ganewatta area in Kurunegala.

The accident occurred a short while ago on Wednesday (03) morning.

The remains of the deceased will be taken to the Kurunegala hospital for a post-mortem.

The accident occurred while the gatekeepers of unprotected railway crossings across the country are engaged in a strike. The strike has been commenced since this morning. The gatekeepers say that despite numerous previous instances of protests carried out over the issue, authorities have still not provided a solution to the problem.

Howeve, due to the strike launched by the gatekeepers, police officers have been assigned to duty at several unprotected railway crossings, according to reporters

Former cricketer complains to Dayasiri Over Aravinda

Former star batsman - Aravinda de Silva, who has been appointed to the post of Advisor of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has been accused of obtaining commissions when bringing in foreign coaches to the country, internal sources from the Sports ministry says.

The complaint is said to have been made on this regard to the Sports minister - Dayasiri Jayasekera by a former Test cricketer who is a former team mate of Aravinda and a member of the victorious 96' squad.

This individual had earlier made several statements to media hinting that Aravinda was linked to match fixing. However, the then President had severely reprimanded him for doing so, reports add.

Attempts to contact Sports minister Dayasiri Jayasekera were unsuccessful.

Former President Mahinda to Visit South Korea

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa is scheduled to leave for South Korea later this week. The former President will be accompanied by former External Affairs Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris.

Use Child to insult President, PM condemned

Petroleum Resources Development Minister Chandima Weerakkody yesterday condemned the behaviour of certain Paada Yathra protesters who used an eight-year-old child to insult the President and the Prime Minister. The minister said that this incident completely contradicted with the policies of the SLFP since the SLFP is the party which is dedicated to protect the culture, traditions and the children of this country.

Meanwhile, National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) Chairperson Natasha Balendra told the Daily News the NCPA will look into the matter