News in Brief:

[TamilNet, Saturday, 09 January 1999, 01:14 GMT]
Political violence continue as elections for the North-Western Provincial Council approaches, Mulankavil hospital releases statistics, vegetable prices go up following heavy rains.

Polls-related violence continues

The Centre for monitoring polls-related violence said that they had received over 150 complaints of political violence, including arson, robbery, intimidation, all related to the North-Western Provincial Council elections scheduled for January 25.

The Chairman of the committee, Janaka Samarasinghe, while speaking at a press conference in Colombo yesterday said that officials have been sent to these areas to investigate the complaints.

Many of the complaints are from the ruling People's Alliance and the United National Party (UNP) he said.

Aanamaduwa Police has received the highest number of complaints, he added

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Mulankavil hospital treated 103,000

A total number of 103,002 people were treated at Mulankavil hospital last year, sources at the Department of Health said today.

At the Out Patients Department (OPD) 97006 patients had been treated while 5996 patients were admitted to the wards during this period the sources added.

Meanwhile authorities recorded 544 births, 16 still births and 50 deaths at this hospital last year, sources said.

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Food prices rocket after floods

Heavy rains have caused drastic increases in the prices of vegetables, coconut, rice, potatoes and kerosene oil in the Vanni, according to sources there.

A kilo of brinjal sold for Rs.6 a week ago is now sold at Rs.60. A kilo of cabbage sold at Rs.10 has gone to Rs.80 while a kilo of potatoes is being sold at Rs.100 and a coconut at Rs.30.

A bottle of kerosene is now Rs.90 to 100.

Sources said the destruction caused to the vegetable fields and the difficulties in transporting produce due to the torrential rains have caused the prices to shoot up.

There is a heavy shortage of coconuts as the transport of stocks by vehicles from Mullaithivu and Puthukudiyeruppu has come to a complete standstill.

Sources said that the smaller traders are now trying to transport coconuts using their bicycles from Mullaithivu area with great difficulty through the flooded roads.

Sources said that the broken coconuts are sold in markets in Mallavi and Thunukkai areas for Rs.12 to Rs.15 each piece.