BOC conducts annual sand paving ceremony in Anuradhapura
With the blessings and guidance of the Atamasthanadipathi of Anuradhapura - Venerable Dr. Pallegama Siriniwasa Thero - the ceremony of strewing white sand at Anuradhapura Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi Upper Maluwa and Lower Maluwa was conducted with the participation of the Bank of Ceylon (BOC) on April 21st 2018.
The event was graced by the presence of BOC Board Director Ranel T. Wijesinha, Ceo/general Manager Senarath Bandara, Sales and Channel Management Deputy General Manager C. Amarasingha, IT Head M.M.L. Perera, members of the executive management, and other officials of the bank.
Organised by the bank’s North Central Province Assistant General Manager Ranjith Welikannage and his team, this act of devotion takes place annually with the participation of members of the bank’s staff and many other Buddhist devotees coming from all parts of the country as a response to the bank’s open invitation to participate this event. Every year thousands of Buddhists come to worship Jaya Shri Maha Bodhi daily and this act will provide a cleaner environment to those who come to worship.
The most sacred Jaya Shri Maha Bodhi is widely considered the world’s oldest historically recorded important tree. Worshiped by Buddhists all over the world, Jaya Shri Maha Bodhi was brought to Sri Lanka in 249 B.C.E. by the most venerated Sangha Mitta Theri, the daughter of Emperor Asoka of India. Both the Theri and the sapling were accorded every royal honour and received with great reverence by King Devanampiyatissa of Sri Lanka who ceremoniously planted the sapling in Anuradhapura Mahamewna Uyana, the royal garden of the king. The chronicles of Sinhalese, known as the Mahawansaya says that miracles occurred during the ceremony of planting the Jaya Shri Maha Bodhi sapling. Since then the Bodhi has been worshiped as one of the most sacred objects of Buddhist worship.
Idea Group of Companies, the group that offered local consumers revolutionary trend setting roofing solutions and other construction supplies recently commissioned a recycling plant to recycle discarded and leftovers of their i-roof and i-panel products.
The recycling plant was commissioned at the same premises at Katana where the main factory, renowned as South Asia’s largest ASA sheet manufacturing factory is situated. Being the only recycling plant in the country of this nature it was commissioned with a view to contributing towards a green economy by mitigating any possible effects on nature.
Consumers who use i-roof and i-panels can now handover leftovers of those products to their nearest Sivilima showroom and contribute towards this generous venture. Idea Company will transport these leftovers to their recycling plant. Moreover, it is praiseworthy that Idea Group Ltd has invested its funds to pay a handsome amount to those who participate for this worthy cause.
Idea Group Ltd CEO/ Managing Director Sampath Mayakaduwa, speaking at the occasion of unveiling the first recycling plant for ASA polymer products in Sri Lanka, said that Idea Company’s products are truly 100 percent green oriented.
“When using i-roof and i-panels it is inevitable that consumers end up with leftovers. But as a socially responsible and green oriented company we took measures to rectify this by commissioning this newest recycling plant,” he commented.
The i-roof product perfectly blends with diverse climatic conditions in Sri Lanka and offers its users 25 more benefits as against normal roofing tiles and other thatching sheets in the marketplace. Besides, despite its light weighted nature, it is strong enough to let a three ton vehicle go on it. Hence, i-roof customers can enjoy a hasslefree life without worrying over threats of wild animals such as monkeys stamping and meddling on the roof. Since i-roof is strong and firmly stays where it is fixed, animals cannot do any harm to the product or thatching process (A video showing this scenario is in Youtube).
Maximum weight of one square-foot of i-roof is 500 grams which is one-eighth of the weight of a normal roofing tile. Hence rafters and laths could be applied keeping a 25.5 allowance that reduces the cost for the roofing frame significantly. Since i-roof has four layers, it gives coolness to homes. The outer layer is made with ASA (Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate) that offers heavy resistance to sunlight. Hence i-roof rids houses of heat and saves the cost for heat resistant gear needed by other thatching sheets. Another significance is that i-roof sustains its color restricting any chances of fade away of color. Main raw materials for the production of i-roof is exported from a Korean company that is affiliated to world famous LG Company.
A standard i-roof is threefeet and five-inches in its width and can be obtained in 10 sizes. It can be obtained to the exact roof size to eliminate wastage. Hence i-roof can be used as one sheet and it doesn’t let water seep through. It is sound resistant and minimises the sound seeping inside the house when raining. The product is non-inflammable and doesn’t let dust cover it. i-roof is rust-proof thus it is ideal for seaside houses continuously suffering from rust. The product does not contain attributes that like led that stimulate cancer thus consumers can confidently use i-roof for houses they build for them and their loved ones.