Love affairs gone wrong was the leading cause for suicide last year, the Sri Lanka Police Annual Report has said in its report tabled in Parliament last week.
According to the Report, 265 suicides last year were because of broken love affairs. Drug addiction came second with 137 suicides. The Report also revealed disturbing news that the total number of cases reported last year (3,263 ) showed an increase of 238 cases. It further revealed that gender wise , 46.6 % of those who committed suicide were males and 12.8% females. Reasons for suicide among 477 males who had committed suicide was due to harassment from wives while 148 females had committed suicide due to harassment from husbands. Five students had committed suicide for failing exams while 195 had committed suicide due to economic issues. The Report also showed that suicide among those in the prime of their lives from 26- 30 was on the rise compared to the previous year. At the same time it also showed a spike in the number of elders at risk with a rise of suicides in those over 70 years. Both these groups topped the list last year age wise.
On methods of suicide, the Report states that 56% had committed suicide by hanging and 26% by taking poison. Suicide figures have declined drastically since its peak in 1995, bringing it to its current position of 4th under world ratings.
Can-Sur-vive Trust lends support for cancer survivors
With the number of cancer cases on the rise it is heartening to note the support that survivors of cancer now receive from both, government and non governmental organisations.
Can-Sur-vive Trust is one such example of an NGO that has tied up with the state run National Lotteries Board to empower cancer survivors and their families with its on going workshops on breast cancer and other related cancer diseases.
The Trust last week, in collaboration with the National Lotteries Board held its 9th CSR programme which included a free Breast and Gynaecological Cancer Seminar /Workshop at Lanka Hospitals. The workshop which commenced early morning, aimed at educating survivors of breast and gynaecological cancer, on medical, physical, financial, spiritual and other related issues pertaining to a cancer survivor’s wellbeing , while empowering the survivor’s and family members’ confidence.
Electricity from garbage on the cards
An environment friendly solution to the garbage problem has been promised to the public, fed up with the garbage menace, by Megapolis & Western Development Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka.
Speaking at the ceremony to open the Sampath Piyasa for collecting waste material at Ananda College , Colombo, he said plans were afoot to set up two power generating plants from garbage waste . Solid waste had been planned to be disposed at a site in Puttalam he is reported to have said, adding that the latter project would start in October this year.
The Minister stressed that even schoolchildren could play a vital role in safe garbage disposal by minimising garbage disposed from schools. The present generation has polluted the environment and the children of the next generation have to prevent it and find solutions, he is quoted as saying.
Majority of prison officials suffer from burnout
One third of prison officials reportedly suffer from burnout, a recent survey by Dr Nimali Wijewardena has found. The survey report handed over last week to the Justice Ministry by Health & Nutrition Minister Dr Rajitha Seneratne reportedly found that 38.8% of prison officials suffered from lack of self esteem and 26.9% from mental fatigue. A total of 1,803 prison and rehabilitation officials from prison institutions across the country participated in the survey, which reportedly prompted the Health Minister to say that prison officials were also ‘imprisoned.’
High density polythene wrapping continues to pose health hazard
Plastic Packaging Pte Ltd Chairman Mervyn Dias has reportedly charged that some manufacturing companies continue to produce high density polythene (HDPE) resin defying the ban that came into effect at the beginning of this year. Environmentalists have long been cited as saying polythene and HDPE resin takes over 500 years to degrade causing heavy damage to living beings including the fauna and flora, in contrast to biodegradable and compostable products which get composted within 180 days. Meanwhile, the CEA Waste Management Unit director Ajith Weerasundara has been quoted as saying, his officials are currently conducting frequent raids on traders, grocery shops, pharmacies, restaurants and other take away food outlets who defy the law by keeping polythene wrapping paper in their possession.
In another move to end the plastic menace, the CEA in collaboration with Japan International Cooperation Agency ( JICA) has introduced a garbage disposal programme ahead of the annual pilgrimage to Kataragama , when waste is said to be four times higher than at any other time of the year.
CEA chairman Chandrarathne Pallegama has been quoted as saying, the scheme combines new and old practices of reducing polythene and other solid waste during the Kataragama season, with three project sites being marked out. He appealed to the public to use reusable, non plastic containers or wrapping for the items they bring to the sacred city. Check points will be established to collect plastic and polythene bags and containers from visitors while plastic bags will be replaced by fabric bags donated by various organisations, sources have said.
PHIs crack down on errant food traders
Public Health Inspectors’ Association President Mahendra Balasooriya has reportedly said that PHIs had fined errant traders Rs 12,176,000 within the first six months of this year as fines. He was quoted as saying 1,576 raids were conducted and 4,782 court cases filed in the period under review.
NCPA probes posting of man giving child alcohol
Investigations have been launched by the National Child Protection Agency (NCPA) regarding a video posted on social media last week showing a child sitting on a man’s lap being given what appeared to be an alcoholic beverage.
NCPA sources together with the computer emergency response team (CERT) has reportedly said, it has identified the persons involved and those who uploaded the video, and legal measures would be initiated against them once the investigations are concluded.