COLOMBO (News 1st): While COVID-19 continues to grip the nation, the Sena caterpillar menace which poses a significant threat to the livelihoods of farming communities still prevails in the country. Maize farmers in Pannalgama, Ampara are facing severe difficulties due to this menace at present. 

Although nearly 1,500 acres of maize has been cultivated by those in Pannalgama, their hope of reaping a healthy harvest is slim.

Farmers lament, the Sena caterpillars evolve into moths and lay eggs on crops when the effects of pesticides wear off.

The Sena caterpillar wreaked havoc in a similar fashion in the years of 2018 and 2019 and most farmers whose cultivations were destroyed due to the caterpillar have not been compensated to date.

By today, those farmers face a severe debt crisis but remain hopeful of better days to come.

• Development of an Electricity Dispatch Database and Dashboard for Sri Lanka
• Face to Face | Thilanga Sumathipala | SLFP : Still a political powerhouse?
• Accelerating economic transformation | Prof. Siri Hettige on The People’s Platform
• Parliament approves decision of Committee on Ethics and Privileges regarding incident between MP Diana Gamage and two opposition MPs
• Appeals related to 2022/2023 academic year to be accepted until 30th December