Tobacco company motivates 110,000 into smoking

Against a backdrop of delays in making pictorial health warnings on cigarette packs mandatory, almost 110, 000 new smokers have taken up smoking within the last five years,

The Nation learns.
Senior House Officer at the National Cancer Institute, Maharagama and President of the Cancer Care Association of Sri Lanka, Dr. Samadi Rajapaksa said according to statistics from the tobacco industry itself, between 80-90 persons either die from tobacco related illnesses or quit smoking every day. Hence, the industry has to recruit 60-70 new smokers daily to replace the ones it loses, he noted.
The World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), which came into effect in February 2005, was the first international legal instrument designed to counter the spread of the worldwide tobacco epidemic. According to the WHO, since then, the FCTC has become one of the most widely embraced treaties in the history of the United Nations, with more than 170 parties covering 87% of the world’s population.
Sri Lanka was the first in the South-East Asian region to ratify the WHO FCTC. The country enacted a Tobacco Control Act in 2006 to aid in comprehensive tobacco control and established the National Authority of Tobacco and Alcohol (NATA) to implement the Act.
There are several key tobacco control measures recommended for implementing the FCTC. Article 11 of the FCTC requires parties to the FCTC to implement effective measures to warn against the harmful impact of tobacco on all tobacco product packaging. This process requires the implementation of a pictorial warning policy for tobacco product packages and should occur within three years after ratifying the FCTC. Since Sri Lanka was one of the first signatories to the convention in 2005, this regulation should have been implemented by 2008. However, this is yet to happen, and the country is now five years behind schedule in implementing this regulation.
The pictorial health warnings were supposed to have been on cigarette packs from 2008. If one were to make a conservative estimate, if 60 new smokers took up the habit in a day, one would have around 21, 900 new smokers in a year. Multiply that by five, and it would amount to around 109, 500 new smokers within the past five years.
According to Dr. Rajapaksa, the tobacco industry’s primary targets are adolescents.
“Such young people are typically adventurous and wish to experiment. They are easy targets for the industry. However, if pictorial health warnings are introduced, it would drastically reduce the number of new smokers”, Dr Rajapaksa opined.
He also dismissed the claim made by some that pictorial health warnings on cigarette packets would be ineffective in Sri Lanka because most buy only one or two cigarettes at a time and not an entire pack.
He claimed potential smokers, particularly adolescents, would be discouraged from smoking after seeing the graphic images printed on the packages. “Display in shops anyway. The public can see them. It will act as a deterrent”, he explained.
He stressed it is ‘unfair’ by the Sri Lankan population not to disclose the side-effects of smoking to smokers, which is what the pictorial health warnings do.
Dr. Rajapaksa pointed out that pictorial health warnings were in force in other Asian countries including India, Pakistan, Thailand and Malaysia.
Sri Lanka currently ranks joint 2nd (along with Uruguay) among countries that have warnings covering more than 50% of the package front and back, according to a report titled Cigarette Package Health Warnings: International Status Report. Accordingly, pictorial health warnings are slated to take up 80% of the pack, both front and back. Australia leads the rest of the world in pictorial health warnings on cigarette packs, with 75% of the front and 90% of the back covered.
Implementation of the regulation of pictorial health warnings on cigarette packs (Article 11) is a requirement of the FCTC, by all the Parties to the treaty within three years from the date of ratification of the treaty. In Sri Lanka, after repeated delays, the regulations on pictorial health warnings were enacted by a special gazette notification in August 2012 to be effective from March 1, 2013. However, the tobacco industry has been fighting the measure in Court, aiming to reduce the size of the pictorial warnings on packs.

More Indians arrested for poaching

The Navy arrested a group of Indian fishermen for poaching in Sri Lankan waters, some 24 hours after another group of Indian fishermen had also been arrested.
The navy said that 30 Indian fishermen were arrested along with 05 Indian fishing Trawlers while they were engaged in illegal fishing in the Northern seas late last night.
A navy spokesman said that the fishermen were handed over to the Talaimannar Police for legal action.
The Navy had early last morning arrested 26 Indian fishermen who were poaching in Sri Lankan waters off Karinagar.
The Navy said that the Indians were on 5 trawlers when they were detected and arrested for entering Sri Lankans waters illegally.
Fishermen from both countries often stray into each other’s territory as both countries are divided by a small strip of sea.
Indian fishermen say India’s gifting of the Katchatheevu Island to Sri Lanka in the ’70s has reduced fishing space available for Indian fishermen.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa, who has been demanding retrieval of the island, has mooted the idea of entering into a long-term lease agreement with the Sri Lankan government so that Indian fishermen could legally use Sri Lankan waters for fishing.
Last month Sri Lanka released a group of Indian fishermen who were arrested for poaching in Sri Lankan waters.
The release came a day after India summoned Sri Lanka’s Deputy High Commissioner in Delhi and lodged a strong protest over the arrests. They had asked Sri Lanka that the fishermen be released at the earliest.
Separately, Indian Defense Minister A.K. Antony had said last month that the country’s government had urged Sri Lanka to direct its navy to act with restraint and not to fire on Indian fishermen sailing along the International Maritime Boundary Line.
“The government continues to remain engaged with the government of Sri Lanka to ensure that fishermen on both sides can continue to pursue their livelihood in a safe, secure and sustainable manner,” he told the Indian parliament.
His comments came after Indian fishermen accused the Sri Lankan navy of attacking them when they stray into Sri Lankan waters. The Navy denied the allegations.

Labai, labai, come to Pettah!

The countdown for the Sinhala and Tamil New Year has begun and the traditional ‘place of gathering’ is buzzing once again. Streams of men and women, either carrying little children or holding tightly to reluctant slightly older ones dodge other families, hand-pushed carts, trishaws, motorcycles, cars and trucks, braving the dust, fumes and heat to pick up this or that, mostly clothes and toys, along Main Street.

Time for innovation: ‘Stop’ and buy a banian seems to be the call of this vendor. Pix by M.A. Pushpa Kumara

Pettah’s heartland is Main Street stretching in a line from Malwatte Road to Gas-Paha Handiya (junction), with 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th Cross Streets intersecting it. While the giant businesses with their posh buildings hug Main Street and the maze of Cross Streets, what fascinates the New Year shoppers are the numerous knick-knacks in addition to clothing spread out on boxes or crates as make-shift street stalls.
Innovation seems to be the name of the game with some pavement hawkers making use of a stop-sign by the wayside to display underwear, others using a rope-net covering a building under construction as a clothes display line and two or three having their own individual stands.
“Serama imported,” calls out one vendor, “haraseeyayi-haraseeyayi, thorala ganna,” shouts another. The raucous cries draw the people to different kinds of stuff on display and the haggling begins. The “goods” range from the mundane to the exotic…………pins to panties, bed-sheets to bras, towels to taps, wigs to wind chimes, shoes to scissors, socks to spectacles, bottles to bags and parasols to puzzles, knives to naphtha balls and purses to phone pouches. Anything and everything is available in the Pettah.
A knot of young men rummage through a heap of ‘long-shorts’ and the vendor is busy flicking off a measuring tape from around his neck to get their sizes right, opposite the more staid three-storey London Suiting Shop. A hanger-on is the shorts vendor’s helper, taking up the shouts of “a pair for panseeya” while also hurrying in search of change for a 1,000-rupee note.
Suddenly a duck is shoved in our faces, with the vendor pressing a button to make it shoot out its tongue, urging that the “muppet from cartoons on TV” be taken home for a few hundred rupees, as a little distance away a battery-operated train chugs round and round on its tracks and little ones are pulling at the hands of parents and dragging their feet when passing a cloud of gossamer bubbles blown from a tiny elephant.
Vendor Mohamed Fazli has moved on from selling water bottles and schoolbags to the business of puzzles. “This is the latest in the market,” he says, explaining that it is “good for the igenuma” (good for learning) and parents buy them as gifts for their children.
When asked how business is this Avurudu season, he is joined by other pavement hawkers who shake their heads in despair over “low sales”. For two-three hours, they say, they have had no sales, while one or two add that they have had a little business of about Rs. 700.
The people come, they look but they just don’t have the money to buy stuff, says a vendor who does not wish to give his name, echoing the hope of all that business would pick up after April 5 when the people would have their festival advances in their pockets.
They are strident in their views that Pettah, particularly Main Street, lost its vigour when the authorities moved the pavement hawkers out to Goonesinghepura.
With the pavement hawkers getting a temporary respite to sell their products at their old haunts last December and this Avurudu season, many believe the hustle and bustle is back to make Pettah vibrant again.
“When we were moved out, the crowds thronged towns like Nugegoda, Kiribathgoda and Maharagama because they didn’t have an option,” says N.H. Nihal, pointing out that none of these places can beat the range and the price offered by Main Street.
Minnissu athe salli ne, says N.A. Piyaratne who has been hawking stuff on Main Street for the past 24 years minus the three or four years when they were debarred from the area. This year he has on sale knife-sharpening stones, oil cans, filters to be fixed to taps and other knick-knacks.
“I have bought everything I need for my family,” says a mother, clutching sili-sili bags filled to bursting point, at the same time keeping a sharp eye on her toddler to make sure that he doesn’t step into the way of an oncoming vehicle, before they both jump into a trishaw to head for home.

Curious glances are cast by all and sundry, when one pavement hawker has an altercation with a truck driver for obstructing his business, as D.M. Gnanasena has a quick word with his two young daughters whether they want pink, black or white underskirts.
“We like to come to the Pettah to buy a few clothes and toys for Avurudu,” says Gnanasena from Talangama, explaining that most probably he would come back with the rest of the family, wife and three other children, over the weekend.

It’s massage time on Main Street

The taka-taka sound of a bere summons people to another area of Main Street as a man lays out some of his goods. No, he is not selling anything, only his prowess as a self-taught magician, making coins move from under one glass to another. He holds people’s fascination by exhibiting a plastic box, the size of a small tiffin-carrier, in which he says there is a snake. “I will give a prize to anyone who can identify this creature,” he challenges, going on with his magic show. After 45 minutes, we leave, without our curiosity fulfilled for the snake has still not been uncovered.
As the stream of shoppers becomes thicker, some weary ones drag themselves into the small food stalls displaying short-eats and cool drinks. Others munch hot and spicy vadai with a tempting prawn atop straight from the frying pan while sipping a kahata and the more adventurous ones stop by the achcharu-cart to get a small bagful of mouth-watering pineapple, nelli, lovi, veralu, mango, guava, amberella or divul portion.
As the evening shadows lengthen and the pavement hawkers begin to pack up their goods and we make ready to leave, we spot a crowd at the “massage” seller.�Taking a willing passer-by he demonstrates his wares. Any aches or pains or just need relaxation, he has oluvata (for the head), angeta (for the body), pita kondata (for the backbone) and also a contraption like a hand to scratch one’s back.
After a long walk up and down Main Street and along all those Cross Streets buying what they want and sometimes even what they don’t want, most probably what the weary shopper needs is the one which massages the yati-pathula (soles of the feet).
The beginningsStarting as a small shop at Kayman’s Dorakada (now known as gate) opposite the belfry, then moving to 154, 1st Cross Street and now occupying the premises right opposite, Titus Stores has long been a landmark of Pettah and the Main Street.
In the early days, there were trams, buses, bullock-carts and only rarely a lorry plying along Main Street, recalls the owner of Titus Stores, Joe De Livera, whose father had set up the business back in 1924.
Pettah is a pocket of land traditionally associated with business, points out 83+plus Mr. De Livera, going back in time to 1949 when he brought a load of goods from the port in a Ferguson tractor. It was the first time people had seen a tractor and all eyes were agog, he smiles.
The pavement hawkers came with J.R. Jayewardene’s government in 1977, when they were allowed to occupy the empty pavements, “changing the face of Pettah drastically,” he says, adding that now there are more than 280 such vendors.

Tax hike on milk powder imports on the cards

The government is considering a further tax increase on milk powder imports from the present 15 per cent or Rs. 92 per kilo gram to discourage milk powder imports and promote local liquid milk, officials said.

Sri Lanka imports 84,000 metric tons of milk powder annually spending Rs.36 billion in foreign exchange.
This drain on valuable foreign exchange has prompted the government to consider a further revision of the import duty on milk powder, they disclosed.

The demand for liquid milk in the country is insufficient as people are used to buy milk powder due to its low price and convenience, officials pointed out.

Production of local liquid milk has increased up to 1.6million litres per day due to the increase of certified purchase price for a litre of local liquid milk up to Rs.50 and other incentives, they added.

But the consumption of fresh milk has been unduly overshadowed by the influence of the imported milk powder propaganda campaign, officials alleged.

The government is also looking at the possibility of regulating branded milk powder advertisements so that liquid milk gets adequate air time, officials said.

The modalities are yet to be worked, but there will not be a curtailment or ban on such advertisements.
“There are no restrictions as such but there will be promotions for fresh liquid milk in the market highlighting the aspect of how safe are imported milk powders and other dairy products,” they said.

Politicking for Colombo VC post

The process to appoint a Vice Chancellor to the University of Colombo has run into a storm with the university academics writing to President Mahinda Rajapaksa, conveying concern over the apparent politicization of the appointment process.

This has come in the wake of media reports that the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) University Teachers' Union has approached powerful Defence Secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapaska, to seek his blessing for the candidacy of Dr. Prathiba Mahanamahewa for the post of Vice Chancellor of the University of Colombo.
Dr. Mahanamahewa is presently the Dean of the Faculty of Law, General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University and is also a Commissioner of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL).

He is known for his strong defence of the Mahinda Rajapaksa administration on its human rights record. Earlier, the former President of the SLFP University Teachers' Union and a close confidant of Minister of Higher Education, S.B. Dissanayake, was appointed as the Vice Chancellor of the Open University of Sri Lanka.

Among the three candidates nominated by the University Council of the Colombo University for the post of Vice Chancellor are, Dr. Kumara Hirimburegama, husband of the current Chairperson of the University Grants Commission (UGC), Prof. Kshanika Hirimburegama, Dr. Prathibha Mahanamahewa and Prof. Lakshman Dissanayake, former Head of the Department of Demography and Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

Dr. Nirmal Ranjith Dewasiri, President of the Federation of University Teachers' Associations (FUTA) told Ceylon Today the Colombo University academics in their letter to the President have raised 'strong concerns' about the developments related to the appointment of the Vice Chancellor of the University of Colombo.

"In fact, most senior professors don't apply for those posts as it is useless to do so without political backing. It has become a norm that political appointees are favoured when it comes to these appointments," he charged.

Dr. Dewasiri said, FUTA would decide its course of action only after the appointment is finalized. "We do not want to rush into action. We have made our concerns known to the President. And we hope he will listen to our concerns." He said there is a conflict of interest involving the candidacy of Dr. Hirimburegama, while his spouse continues to serve as the Chairperson of the UGC, the authority that should recommend the most qualified candidate to the President, according to the Universities Act.

"In theory, the President should appoint the Vice Chancellor of a given university based on the recommendations made by the UGC, though, the President could reject all three nominations and send the names back to the Council, asking for fresh nominations," Dr. Dewasiri said.

Golden Key depositors claim AG not issuing extradition order

The Golden Key Depositors Union (GKDU) yesterday claimed that the Attorney General had failed to issue an extradition order on the second suspect Sicille Kotelawala despite a court ruling.

President, GKDU, Dushyanthi Hapugoda, speaking to ‘The Nation’ said, “No extradition order has been issued by the Attorney General’s Department despite a High Court order dating back to one and a half years ago. This is I believe because the Attorney General, Palitha Fernando’s wife happened to work at Golden Key at one time. This factor has influenced the non extradition in such a long drawn time.”

She said that Mrs. Kotelawala was presently living in England which had granted her citizenship as had been confirmed by the British High Commissioner in Sri Lanka, Robbie Bulloch. Hapugoda further claimed that she had written as many as three letters addressed to the Attorney General regarding the extradition of Mrs. Kotelawala, but had not received any response.

The Golden Key scandal since 2009 involving a sum of over Rs.26 billion in deposits is the worst of its kind to hit Sri Lanka culminating in the loss of 28 human lives through suicides of hard pressed depositors who were left in the lurch. An approximate 6254 of a total number of 9127 depositors are yet to be repaid with Rupees1477 million already settled.

Wimal calls for probe on human skeletons in Matale

Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities Minister Wimal Weerawansa said that a full-scale investigation should be conducted on the human skeletons found in a mass grave at Matale which have been identified as those disappeared during the 1988-1989 insurrection.
The UN says that the Government should conduct credible investigations on the alleged human rights violations. Why can't the UNHRC conduct a similar credible investigation on the mass grave at Matale, the Minister told the Sunday Observer.
He questioned as to why UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navaneetham Pillay and US President Obama cannot treat this as a grave human rights violation?
Is this not a human rights violation for the UN or USA though it took place during the UNP regime. They don't view these as brutal killings or human rights violations as they were allegedly committed by a pro-American government.
If any anti-American leader had waged a war against terrorists and restored peace, various allegations of human rights violations would have been made against such leader to impede the forward march of that country, he said. Minister Weerawansa said that he also endorsed the JVP's call to conduct an immediate investigation on this incident.
The Government should, however, conduct an impartial inquiry to highlight the massacres and atrocities committed during the UNP regime.
"We should ask the Western world, whether these are not grave human rights violations.
When human skeletons were found at the mass grave at Matale, the Al Jazeera television even attempted to portray them as those of LTTE cadres who died during the war against terrorism," the Minister said

Will SLMC leave the govt?

The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) on Friday denied reports of internal party rifts, but said members have called on the party high command to take a firm stand on the recent spate of anti-Muslim campaign and push the government to address the issue.
SLMC General Secretary Hassan Ali said members have called the high command to advance their next meeting which is scheduled to be held on April 27, before the Sinhala and Tamil New Year.
“Our next meeting is scheduled to be held on the 27th of this month, however, we feel as a party that we’ve waited too long and might need to come to a decision,” said Hassan Ali, General Secretary of the SLMC. “Our last meeting was not decisive as some felt we need to take a wait-and-watch approach while others thought that we needed to take stand.”
Reports which surfaced in the media following the meeting alleged that there was friction among members since some were absent from the meeting whilst others were not content with the decision reached.
“There isn’t a rift among the issue that was discussed but merely over the fact that we could not come to a conclusion during the last meeting,” he said. “However, that will change since we feel that as a party we’ve waited too long for the government to respond and it might be fair to Muslims if we come to a decision.”
He cited that although the SLMC is part of the government, it can and will come to an independent decision. “The fact that the government has not even condemned Bodu Bala Sena as a religious extremist outfit is still a bone of contention among Muslims,” he said.
According to him, the SLMC was awaiting the report by the Parliamentary sub-committee which was tasked with resolving the Halaal issue. “The former Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake who heads the committee suggested that the government come up with a draft proposal on how to go forth with the issue at hand. We, however, feel that the committee is dragging its feet over the issue.”
“Only when the draft proposal is put forth, all members would be able to come back to negotiations, we however feel that it has taken longer than necessary.” The SLMC high command which was held last Saturday said that the future of the SLMC in the government was at risk since it had failed to take appropriate action with regards to the threats faced by the Muslims in recent times.
SLMC high command was of the opinion the government had not directly responded to the threats faced by the Muslims in the country.

UNP May Day rally in three places

The United National Party will hold three separate May-Day rallies this year.Party General Secretary Tissa Attanayake said the three rallies will be held in Badulla, Kurunegala and outside the party headquarters in Pita-Kotte.The main rally in Colombo will be held in Pita Kotte at 9 a.m., where we will be supported by four trade unions along with our supporters” Mr. Attanayake told the Sunday Times.
He said the rally in Kurunegala will be a coalition meting with the “Vipakshaye Virodhaya” which will be supporting the rally through its representatives.The rally to be staged in Badulla will be with the support of the National Youth Front as well as the National Estate Workers Union. It is to be known as the Youth and Estate Workers May-Day rally.
“We have made this May-Day rally a youth rally in to grab the attention of our country’s youth and bring them closer to our party,” he said.Mr. Attanayake added that the women and the youth of the nation are two major movements in society. He said the party is targeting a 60% representation for thm in all electoral divisions.
Regarding the upcoming Provincial Council elections, Mr. Attanayake said that preparations are underway.The Government has not confirmed whether elections would be held in the Northern Province. Before such elections can be held independent commissions such as the Police Commission as well as the Elections Commission must be established”
He said that although the Government will try to exploit its power to gain advantages in elections the UNP is prepared to contest it, adding that arrangements are already underway in appointing three committees to oversee the upcoming Provincial Council elections.
He also said the UNP has started a door-to-door campaign with the target of recruiting two million members to the Party.
He said the campaign started in Galle District and then moved on to Kandy District where the party was successful in reaching its target of 100,000 members each in both districts.Similar campaigns in Matale and Kelaniya have taken place.
Mr. Attanayake told the Sunday Times that the membership campaign will shift to Negombo on April 11 and Anamaduwa on the 18th of this month. He said the party is hoping to recruit two million members by the end of June

AMILA ABEYSEKERA RUMOURS

After a certain news item about tele-actor Amila Abeysekera was published last Friday (22) in 'Today' newspaper, a copy of the news item appearing in websites too, various news about him had begun to circulate.
According to the initial news item, Amila Abeysekera had insulted a certain businesswoman and the incident had been conveyed to Minister Welgama and on the instructions of the latter, she had lodged an entry at the Mirihana Police. Subsequently, Amila had gone to the Police Station and had obtained pardon by apologising to her for his behaviour.
However, Min.Welgama as well as Amila Abeysekera's lawyers had informed 'Today' newspaper that this news item was maliciously created and published. Statements from both parties were publicised once again on 28th Wednesday in the same newspaper asking for pardon if any inconvenience had been caused to Amila Abeysekera.
The news report relating to the incident could be seen below.

First report 22 March 2013

AMILA ABEYSEKERA ASKS FOR PARDON FOR HAVING INSULTED A BUSINESSWOMAN
Over an incident where popular artiste Amila Abeysekera had insulted a businesswoman, a complaint had been lodged by her at the DIG Office, Mirihana. After an inquiry was conducted by DIG Mr.Sumith Edirisinghe, Amila had expressed his regret in relation to the incident and had pleaded for an apology from the businesswoman.
Minister Kumar Welgama had come to know of a defamatory statement circulating in respect of this businesswoman and had notified her of it. Subsequently she had lodged her complaint at DIG's Office at Mirihana.

Second report 27 March 2013

IT IS CONFIRMED THAT AMILA ABEYSEKERA HAD NOT INSULTED A BUSINESSWOMAN OR HAD ASKED FOR PARDON
The lawyer of Mr.Amila Abeysekera has sent us a letter through fax explaining the facts in relation to the news item published on 22 March 2013 in 'Today' newspaper under the heading "Amila Abeysekera asks for pardon for having insulted a businesswoman". His lawyer says, that, accordingly certain news clips in the said news item are incorrect and that no insult has been made and also, no pleading for pardon has occured in any manner. Amila Abeysekera has mentioned to the police that he does not know the businesswoman under reference who is connected to the incident and that he does not have any reason to make any such comment in relation to the said businesswoman. Amila Abeysekera further says that in the above circumstances the inquiry had come to a close and that he did not plead guilty to a defamatory statement or fall down on knees in the presence of the DIG and ask pardon.
On an inquiry made from the media division of the police in relating to this, they informed us saying that the information conveyed to us is true. If Mr.Amila Abeysekera had been inconvenienced in some way as a result of certain news clips published in the relevant news item, we express our regret deeply in that respect.

THERE IS NO CONNECTION OF THE MINISTER IN RELATION TO AN INCIDENT OF INSULTING OR ASKING PARDON
In a letter sent to us by the Media Secretary of Minister Kumar Welgama, he has informed us that the Minister is in no way connected to the incident which appeared as a news item under the heading "Amila Abeysekera asks for pardon for an incident of having insulted a businesswoman". The Media Secretary further states that the Minister completely rejects that the businessswoman under reference has made a complaint to the police on the instructions of the Minister.

A SENSITIVE MOMENT OF ATHULA-SAMITHA

The Most Popular music video of the year was awarded for the song "Iwasaida Manda" which won the Gold Award at the Derana 2013 Music Video Award ceremony held yesterday.
Athula - Samitha who had been together for sometime broke off, later entering into another marriage. The manner in which they came to receive the award given for that song sung by the two of them was a sensitive moment.
Amaya was beside Athula in the auditorium and Samitha was seated next to Amaya. After Samitha was seen the daughter of Athula and Samitha.
After collecting the Award, addressing the audience, Athula also spoke of the two of them:
"Personal problems between the two of us is different ..... this is our profession," he said. Samitha spoke later with tears in her eyes and in a very touching mood. In the process, she had been looking down with embarassment, which then was a special feature. What she said was:
"Actually we didn't receive an award when we were together ..... this is our first award after we broke up. I am so happy that fans of both of us still love us upto this day". During her address it was heard that she went into sobs.
Athula said that, in the future too they would be singing together.