By: Staff Writer

February 10, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka is set to implement a large-scale initiative aimed at preserving its beaches for tourism while ensuring long-term environmental sustainability. The move follows strong backing from key stakeholders, including The Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL), which has pledged its full support for the ‘Clean Sri Lanka’ program.

THASL President M. Shanthikumar emphasized the significance of this initiative, stating that it introduces critical improvements across environmental, social, and governance (ESG) aspects. With hotels spread across the country, the hospitality sector is fully committed to this government-led effort.

In alignment with ‘Clean Sri Lanka,’ THASL has introduced its own set of sustainability guidelines for member hotels, focusing on three key areas: business practices, environmental responsibility, and community engagement. These guidelines will be rolled out through Regional Hotels Associations to ensure seamless implementation.

Shanthikumar highlighted that Sri Lanka’s scenic landscapes and warm hospitality have attracted millions of tourists over the years. He stressed that even small contributions toward environmental conservation can help sustain the tourism industry for future generations.

The newly established guidelines prioritize protecting the country’s natural beauty and biodiversity, recognizing that modern travelers increasingly seek destinations with strong sustainability initiatives.

He acknowledged that achieving meaningful change will take time but underscored the importance of initiating efforts now. As a major foreign exchange earner, Sri Lanka’s tourism sector stands to benefit significantly from sustainable practices. THASL is confident that its members will recognize the value of these guidelines and adopt them proactively.

Massive Beach Clean-up Effort Underway

Additional Secretary to the President for Clean Sri Lanka, Eng. S.P.C. Sugeeshwara, announced that the program will focus on cleaning and preserving a 1,740-kilometer stretch of coastline. The official launch takes place today at Crow Island, Mattakkuliya, Colombo 15, with Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya attending the event.

Sugeeshwara noted that while Sri Lanka boasts breathtaking beaches, their maintenance has often been neglected, impacting both tourism and local communities, particularly the fishing industry. The initiative will enhance beach cleanliness, conservation efforts, visitor safety, and overall tourist experience.

“For years, the importance of maintaining our beaches has been overlooked. This program aims to revitalize these coastal areas, preserving biodiversity while making them more visually appealing,” he explained.

During a media briefing at the Government Information Department, key officials outlined the program’s objectives. Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) Director General Jagath Gunasekera emphasized that human activities, including poor waste management, lack of maintenance, and unregulated commercial practices, have negatively impacted Sri Lanka’s beaches. He warned that these issues threaten the tourism sector and require urgent intervention.

A dedicated program, titled Sundara Weralak, Aakarshaneeya Sanchaaraka Karmanthayak (Beautiful Beaches, Attractive Tourism Industry), will tackle these challenges, with initial efforts focused on the Western and Southern coastal regions.

Clean Sri Lanka Task Force Convener and Senior Additional Secretary to the President for Finance and Economic Affairs, G.N.R.D. Aponso, stressed that achieving true socio-economic development requires a fundamental shift in environmental, social, and economic attitudes. He stated that ‘Clean Sri Lanka’ is built on this broader, transformative vision, ensuring that sustainability remains at the heart of national development efforts.

February 10, Colombo (LNW): President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has departed Sri Lanka this (10) morning for a significant three-day official visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The visit, scheduled from February 10 to 13, follows an invitation extended by UAE President Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and forms part of the ongoing diplomatic relations between the two nations.

During his time in the UAE, President Dissanayake will attend the prestigious ‘World Government Summit 2025’ in Dubai, where he is set to address an international audience on various topics related to governance, development, and collaboration between nations.

As part of the visit, the President will also engage in high-level bilateral talks with President Bin Zayed, discussing several key areas of mutual interest, with a focus on strengthening diplomatic and economic ties.

Accompanying the President are several prominent officials, including Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Vijitha Herath, Minister of Energy Kumara Jayakody, as well as 13 other senior government representatives.

Their participation underscores the importance of the visit and the potential for Sri Lanka to enhance its relationships with the UAE and other nations in the region.

In the President’s absence, the Sri Lankan government has appointed four acting ministers to manage the operations of key ministries.

These interim appointments will ensure the continued smooth functioning of the government during this brief period.

The following acting ministers have been designated:

• Acting Minister of Digital Economy: Deputy Minister of Digital Economy Eranga Weeraratne
• Acting Minister of Defence: Deputy Minister of Defence Aruna Jayasekera
• Acting Minister of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development: Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Economic Development Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando
• Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism: Deputy Minister of Foreign Employment Arun Hemachandra

February 10, Colombo (LNW): Plantation and Community Infrastructure Samantha Vidyarathna has announced plans to provide immediate housing for families still residing in temporary relief camps after being displaced by landslides in recent months.

Speaking at a meeting held at his ministry today (10), the Minister confirmed that the construction of permanent homes for these families would commence in the first week of March.

The meeting, which included Ministry Secretaries and officers from the tri-forces, focused on urgent measures to address the plight of those still living in makeshift shelters.

Minister Vidyarathna revealed that, in the Kegalle District, 22 families have been forced to live in relief camps following landslides that destroyed their homes.

In addition, 51 families in Haldummulla, situated in the Badulla District, have been living in a disused tea factory in Kabaragala for the past five years, with many of them raising children in the inadequate facilities.

The Minister stressed that the Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure would allocate the necessary funds to build permanent homes for these displaced families.

The construction work will be overseen by the tri-forces, with the Sri Lanka Army managing the projects in Haldummulla and Kabaragala, while the Sri Lanka Navy will lead the efforts in Kegalle.

To ensure that the process moves swiftly, Minister Vidyarathna outlined that government officials would visit the Kabaragala camp on Saturday (15) and the Kegalle camp on Monday (17).

These visits aim to expedite the housing construction process and provide much-needed support to the affected families.

The Minister assured that the government is committed to resolving this longstanding issue and giving these families the stable, permanent homes they desperately need.

February 10, Colombo (LNW): The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) has announced that scheduled power outages will continue across Sri Lanka on Monday (10), and Tuesday (11).

These outages are expected to last for one and a half hours during each of the two days, between the hours of 3:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., and will be implemented island-wide.

The electricity supply disruptions will be staggered across different zones to ensure a more manageable distribution of available power.

These temporary outages are part of ongoing efforts to balance the grid following a series of unforeseen technical issues that have affected the national power system.

A significant event unfolded on Sunday, 9th February, when a nationwide power failure struck at approximately 11:15 a.m.

The outage, initially caused by an incident at the Panadura grid substation, was triggered by a monkey entering the facility, resulting in an imbalance that knocked out the system.

This disruption left the entire island without power for a period of time.

The restoration process was slow and faced complications due to the lower electricity demand typical on a Sunday. However, by 6:00 p.m., most areas had their power restored.

Unfortunately, just as power began to return, another problem emerged at the Norochcholai Coal Power Plant, where an automatic safety protocol led to the disconnection of all three generators.

This further intensified the already critical power shortfall, as the national grid lost an additional 900 megawatts.

By late evening, demand for electricity began to rise, especially as people returned home from work. This led to more regional blackouts, and the CEB was forced to draw additional power from thermal plants to fill the gap.

Despite the team’s best efforts, the entire island did not experience a full restoration of electricity until 9:45 p.m.

In light of these ongoing challenges, the CEB has confirmed that it will take around four days to fully restart the three generators at the Norochcholai plant. Until then, power cuts will continue as the plant is gradually brought back online and integrated back into the national grid.

The CEB assures the public that efforts are underway to resolve the power crisis and stabilise the supply as soon as possible.

Visit here to see the time periods and zones for the power cuts scheduled by the CEB: https://lankanewsweb.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/CEB-Press-Release-2025-02-10.pdf