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“We will take steps to ban groups that are drawn to extremist activities,” Weerasekara told reporters.

He noted that Russian ambassador to Sri Lanka Yuri Materiy had agreed to support Sri Lanka’s efforts in this regard.

“All countries must join hands to eliminate racism and extremism by exchanging intelligence information,” the public security state minister insisted.

Sri Lanka is currently exploring the possibility of purchasing military equipment from Moscow, Russian Ambassador to Colombo, Yury Materiy has said in an interview with RIA Novosti.

Speaking to the RIA Novosti on the occasion for the Diplomatic Worker’s Day, the Ambassador said Military-technical cooperation between Russia and Sri Lanka has been steadily developing over the years.

During his recent visit to Sri Lanka, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced Moscow’s readiness to continue to supply the island with the weapons necessary to ensure its defense capability and maintain the country's security.

The Russian Ambassador to Sri Lanka has warned the island nation to be wary of terror financing coming in the guise of Covid-19 aid.

News reports quoted Materiy as saying: "Many extremist groups have been moving funds for terror activities and have additionally carried out such operations via the trade and trafficking of narcotics under the cover of humanitarian assistance for Muslim organisations and charities."

Russia also plans to provide Sri Lanka with the Sputnik vaccine as the ministries of health of the two nations have completed formalities for its distribution.

The two also discussed mutual cooperation between the countries related to trade which has gone up substantially despite the coronavirus pandemic.

The Russian ambassador also invited the minister to participate in international security forums being held in Russia in 2021.

Sri Lanka and Russia underlined the importance of international scientific collaboration in face of the pandemic and agreed to expand relations between the health-related institutions of the two countries.

The two parties discussed the technology used in production of the vaccine, its safety and efficiency, the results of clinical trials and the status of approvals.

The Sri Lankan side apprised the Russian specialists of the research done on the virus modifications in Sri Lanka and the immunization programme of Sri Lanka.

The Sri Lankan Embassy in Russia facilitated an online meeting between the Ministry of Health of Sri Lanka, the Ministry of Health of Russia and the Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology of the Ministry of Health of Russia.

They discussed  the 'Sputnik V' vaccine, which is developed by the Russian Gamaleya Research Institute.

The parties discussed the technology used in production of the vaccine, its safety and efficiency, the results of clinical trials and the status of approvals.

The Sri Lankan side apprised the Russian specialists of the research done on the virus modifications in Sri Lanka and the immunization programme of Sri Lanka.

The meeting was chaired by Sri Lanka Ambassador Prof. M. D. Lamawansa who was joined by other staff members of the Embassy.

“A positive PCR found post-mortem does not necessarily mean that the dead body is infectious,” the SLMA said in a statement.

It added that the COVID-19 virus can be transmitted only by the respiratory route.

“The virus itself can thrive only inside a living cell. It is unlikely that it could remain infectious within a dead body for any significant period of time,” the statement read.

The SLMA also dismissed concerns raised on the burial of humans citing environmental issues that arose due to the massive burial of minks culled in Denmark.

“The reported planned exhumation and cremation of a large number of minks culled in Denmark was not due to any possible contamination of water resources by the virus,” the statement read.

“It was due to a large amount of nitrogenous waste from these decomposing mink carcasses contaminating the nearby water sources and polluting the environment”.

The SLMA pointed out that the burial of corpses had been practised even in the case of severe waterborne diseases like Cholera.

The government has decided to appoint senior army officers to coordinate COVID-19 control measures., the Army said in a statement.

Secretary to the President Dr. P.B. Jayasundera has criticised the abysmal performance of ministries at a meeting with ministry secretaries recently.

This measure was taken to minimize the problems faced by the related industries due to the shortage of coconuts in the country, P. Edirimanne, the Director of the Coconut Development Authority said.

According to Edirimanne, around 100 million coconuts per month are required for factories and related industries.

Thereby, frozen sliced coconut will be imported from India, the Philippines, and Vietnam, the Coconut Development Authority (CDA) further noted.

The imported stocks of frozen sliced coconuts will be used to manufacture coconut oil and coconut milk.

There is a shortage of coconuts in the country, as a result of adverse weather conditions experienced in the country last year.

According to market reports the price of coconut has increased from Rs. 70 to Rs. 100.

The amendment was an outcome of the Indo-Lanka Accord of 1987, India’s DMK Parliamentary Party leader, T.R. Baalu said, adding that the proposal, if carried forward, would put a question mark on the accord with India, the Press Trust of India reported.

Baalu, who is also the party treasurer, asked, "why and how the Indian government could be a mere spectator if the island nation abolished the provincial councils after assuring the Tamil people, devolution of more powers, even beyond what was contemplated under the 13th amendment."

The DMK leader requested Modi to prevail upon Sri Lanka to not go ahead with the plan to abolish the provincial councils.

"Modi should make it clear to the neighbour that the proposal, if implemented, would adversely affect Indo-Lanka ties," Baalu said.

In an interview with The Hindu, former President Sirisena said if there is no fair treatment, the SLFP will decide on a solo journey and it is ready for both options.

He said the ruling party organised political attacks on Sri Lanka Freedom Party candidates who had been nominated for the General Election in August 2020.

“We are bound to a platform of democracy and we want to strengthen it. Whenever we come into a coalition, we insist that democracy and human rights be respected. The Buddhist doctrine offers ample guidance on how to run a State,” said Sirisena.

Commenting on the provincial councils in the country, Sirisena said the provincial council system has been in existence for over 30 years and Sri Lanka hasn’t seriously evaluated if they have been successful in serving the purpose they were supposed to.

“One of the main problems is that of the total allocations to the provincial councils annually, only 25 % or so goes into the actual development of the provinces. Nearly 75 % goes towards salaries, vehicles, telephone and electricity bills. There is an excessive number of employees in the provincial councils,” he remarked.

“When the central government pumps in money into the provincial councils, it is done as an investment for the development of the country. However, the return on such investment has been less. So we need to reduce wasteful expenditure, perhaps by reducing the number of councillors and employees, in order to increase the return on investment, he added”

Former President Sirisena said the 30 year-experience of running provincial councils has not yielded the desired results in terms of developing all parts of the country.

Adding the creation of the provincial councils was an investment, Sirisena said Sri Lanka has been keeping them going for 30 years, and when they don’t yield the benefits that were expected in terms of development, people and the government should take a fair decision.

“The 13th Amendment is a product of the Indo-Lanka Accord of 1987. The Provincial Councils Act is a product of the 13th Amendment. So, I know it is not that easy to abolish provincial councils. India could get a little upset with us if we completely do away with the 13th Amendment,” he said.

Former President Sirisena said in the region, the friendship with India is very important to Sri Lanka adding the friendship between the two countries is of utmost importance and should be strengthened by all governments.

Abolishing provincial councils is like playing with fire, said Sirisena.

Commenting on the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, the Former Head of State said he did not like the fact that the 19th Amendment has been abolished.

“Had I been the President, I would have made changes to the 19th Amendment to strengthen it. There were some drawbacks in it, I would have addressed those,” he said.

Speaking further to The Hindu, Sirisena said it is a fact that in Sri Lanka the Sinhalese are the majority and Sri Lanka must ensure Tamils, Muslims, and Burghers have equal rights as minorities.

“For example, take the issue of mandatory cremation of victims of Covid-19. Muslims must be given the right to bury their relatives who succumbed to it. The WHO [World Health Organization] says it is possible to bury. As a former Minister of Health, I stand by the opinion of the WHO,” he stressed.

He said one cannot develop the country when the sentiments of minority communities are hurt and stressed one has to ensure that democracy and economic development are shared equally by all ethnic groups in this country.

“I am happy with everything I did. I did everything with good intentions. My time in office is historic for the fact that no government-owned rifle ever shot at a citizen,” said the former President.

“During my time, there were protests every day on the streets, by students, by workers. I had ordered the police and army not to ever resort to shooting. I told them they could take legal action later, but should never fire a single shot, even though the protests gave me a lot of mental agony. That is one of my greatest achievements as a leader,” he noted.