India to help build 150-bed hospital in Sri Lanka

India will help construct a 150-bed hospital in Sri Lanka and provide vocational training to the people in rural areas of the island nation under the two agreements signed here between the neighbouring countries.

The Sri Lankan government has provided three acres of land for construction of the district general hospital at Dickoya in Hatton in the Central Province.

The Rs (Sri Lankan) 918 million project will be implemented by the state-owned HSCC (India) Ltd, a company providing consultancy services in healthcare and other social sectors.

Another agreement between the two sides pertains to setting up of facilities at Rural Vocational Training Centre at Nagawillu in North-western Puttalam district. The estimated cost of the project is Rs (Sri Lankan) 55.7 million.

The project is to be implemented by India's state-owned HMT (International) Ltd., over the next six to eight months.

It will create facilities at the Training Centre by supplying equipment and providing training to carry out short-term, modular and full-time vocational courses for the people in Puttalam.

Source: Hindu

Air Force destroyed three LTTE Arms carrying sea tiger crafts - Mullaittivu

Sri Lanka Air Force fighter jets destroyed three LTTE sea tiger arms carrying craft in South of Mullaittivu lagoon this evening (April 19).

Air Force spokesperson Wing Commander Andrew Wijesooriya speaking to defence.lk said that Sri Lanka Sir Force launch hits reconnaissance air craft base on the information received from Naval patrol.

As it is observed three LTTE sea tiger craft beached in South of Mullaittivu lagoon SLA Fighter gets raided those craft, spokesperson added.

The targeted three LTTE arms carrying sea tiger craft were completely destroyed as pilots return following the precision air sortie around 5.40 p.m, spokesperson further added.

Source: defence.lk

PMK wants India to play 'active' role in Sri Lanka

The PMK, a member of India's ruling coalition, Saturday urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that New Delhi must play an "active and constructive" role to help end Sri Lanka's ethnic conflict.

PMK leader S. Ramadoss said he and his party colleagues urged both the prime minister and Congress president Sonia Gandhi that India's active engagement was necessary in view of the "genocide against Tamils in that country".

"There are (1.5 million) internally displaced people in Sri Lanka living at the mercy of international donors and NGOs," he said.

Thousands have died in escalating violence in Sri Lanka in the past two years.

Source: newkerala

49 killed in fresh clashes in Sri Lanka

At least 48 LTTE rebels and a soldier were killed in fierce clashes in the restive Northern Sri Lanka, officials said on Saturday.

Two Tamil Tigers were killed at Illamarudankulam area in Vavuniya on Saturday, the army said.

At least 11 rebels were killed in Thachchanamaruthamadu and Chinnavalavankaddu areas of Vavuniya on Friday, the Defence Ministry said.

On the Mannar front, troops attacked LTTE bunkers in the Manipulikulam and Minukkad areas and killed six guerrillas in the confrontations on Friday, the ministry said.

In a similar clash in Minukkad and Malikaittidal areas of Mannar, troops gunned down three more LTTE rebels, it said.

One Tamil Tiger and an army personnel were killed in clashes at Kokkutuduvai, janakapura and Kribbanwewa in North-east Welioya yesterday, the Media Centre for National Security (MCNS) said.

In a separate incident, at least 13 LTTE rebels were killed and three others injured when army troops captured six bunker in various artillery duels at Kanthankulam, Kaddaikulam and Manipulikulam areas of Mannar on Friday, the MCNS said.

At least 12 Tigers were killed and seven others injured in clashes at East of Madhu, Thathchanamarathamadu and Suleinamarathamadu area in Vavuniya district, it said.

Source: NDTV