In October 2020 President Nandasena Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s Office forced the Sri Lanka Standards Institute (SLSI) to authorize the release of over 12,000 metric tonnes of agricultural fertilizer contaminated with toxic levels of heavy metals lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd).
The imported consignments of Triple Super Phosphate (TSP) used for the cultivation of paddy had not conformed to Sri Lanka standards for safe levels of heavy metals found in fertilizer, based on a letter issued by SLSI Director General Dr. Siddika Senaratne on 8 October 2020.
On 8 October 2020 a meeting was convened at the Presidential Secretariat, chaired by Secretary to the President Dr P. B. Jayasundera and attended by SLIS officials including Director General Senaratne, the Agriculture ministry officials and the National Fertilizer Secretariat. The subject of the discussion was the shortage of TSP fertilizer for the upcoming Maha Paddy cultivation season.
The SLSI had suspended the release of the TSP consignment after its inspection and testing found that the content of Lead and Cadmium in the imported fertilizer were higher than the maximum levels for toxic elements based on Sri Lanka standards specifications.
“Lead (Pb) and Cadmium (Cd) contents of imported fertilizer consignments of TSP which were inspected, tested and expected to be released for the cultivation of rice in the Maha Season are rather higher than the maximum limits for potentially toxic elements specified in the Sri Lanka standards specifications 812 – 1st revision 2014,” the letter from SLSI Director General Senaratne noted.
The contaminated consignment was imported by Ceylon Fertilizer Company (Ltd) (Lakpohora) under the Ministry of Agriculture.
Previously imported consignments of TSP have also contained more than double the lead and cadmium parts per million (PPM) permitted by Sri Lanka standards.
However, following the meeting at the Presidential Secretariat, Senaratne authorized the release of the consignment into the market, on a strictly conditional basis, considering, her letter said, the food security of the country. 
Chronic exposure to cadmium can cause kidney, liver, and bone damage in humans. Lead and cadmium accumulate in the body over time, increasing the total body burden of these heavy metals over decades. Ingesting even small amounts of these metals will add to existing body burdens and should be avoided. Heavy metals have been linked to the Chronic Kidney Disease of Unknown etiology (CKDu) epidemic particularly in the North Central Province of Sri Lanka where paddy cultivation is the main livelihood.
The SLIS Director General shot to notoriety after she said that if the SLSI was to reveal the details of companies that imported foods to Sri Lanka that contained the carcinogen aflatoxin, the companies would go bankrupt. The media interview went viral in the wake of the coconut oil import scandal.
SLSI testing found massive stocks of coconut oil imported for food consumption in Sri Lanka were contaminated with aflatoxin. The Government has encouraged citizens to use soy bean oil for cooking instead of coconut oil while the contaminated stocks circulate in the local market, especially sold in loose form in the ‘pola’ and small retailers.
Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday (6) main opposition MP Dr Harsha De Silva raised the issue of the contaminated fertilizer stocks. De Silva tabled the documents first released on social media in the House and demanded that the Government respond to the concerns raised. (By Chinthika De Silva) 
Buddhist1 / April 7, 2021
When staying in power is more important to the brothers and sons than lives of the citizen, what else can we expect?
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leelagemalli / April 7, 2021
Buddhist 1,
.
This we noticed already prior to PE right ? Today almost everything is upside down. Did you listen to his speech added to the gawky villagers few days ago. Not knowing what was talking about – with some responsible ministries and institutes under him, the bugger went on saying shamelessly… with usual hik. hik parts thinking that all srilanken are fools.
Unfortunately, the cancer is now beyond cure. My worry about the people that always stood against these criminals. I go on praying for them and their health and wellbeing .
With the man who brought a REPTILE saga-NAGA-Relics to Kelaniya Temple being caught by paralysis today, Mahinda’s and Gota’s are the top of KARMIC retribution list. I see something, I really dont know what it is.. there are various signs of a disaster ahead of… but this disaster is self-made by stupid people.
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old codger / April 7, 2021
Let’s look at all this in perspective. We all eat rice. A hell of a lot. It makes us fat and lazy. So productivity goes down. Expensive fertilizer is imported, for which we have no money. So, this is good for us. Like the ban on palm oil and coconut oil imports. We can go back to eating rice on Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday. If younger readers are mystified by this, ask your grandparents. Be prepared for the forthcoming discovery that the Muslim Arabs have mixed “wanda-pethi” into petrol and diesel . Good people, do go buy a bull or two before this happens. The kind with four legs, of course, not the 69 lakhs of the other kind.
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Humble / April 8, 2021
Rice is actually very healthy food. Better than wheat based products like bread.
But too much of anything is bad. Lankans have a bad habit of eating a mountain of rice with very little curry.
Several tourists who visited the island complained about why rice and curry meals are served like that. They say its the reverse in other asian countries.
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Burt / April 7, 2021
Sinhala Buddhist wanted a Rajapaksa and they got not one but the whole extended family. Why complain about it now. You just might have to live for decades with what you chose.
So relax and enjoy.
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Naman / April 7, 2021
SL needs to maintain high standards in order to the health of all it’s citizens by checking on all the imports in to the country. The Cadmium and lead in the fertiliser will find its way into the human body leading to ill health. Citizens’ health is being compromised by the stooges important poisons laden oil and fertilisers. Now attempts to vaccinate citizens with the Chinese vaccine that has NOT been tested properly. It seems GoSL is with crooked businessmen.
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Good Sense / April 7, 2021
How can anything “poisonous” or unfit for ultimate human consumption be “OK” in view of the “Maha Season”? Will the poison become benign during that season? BULL-SHIT!. Siddika! You ought to be convicted for mass murder and corruption and HUNG by the neck until you are dead. Of course! If you were another Devani Jayathilake you would not have been invited for the meeting and the stock of poison would have been most surreptitiously released. In the manufacturing country the poisonous fertilizer is a reject which has no value, but a cost already incurred in its manufacture and he must “sell” it. You quote a figure which is an “Eye-wash”. You bring in the poison with a so-called certificate from the country of manufacture. It is OK for the Fertilizer Corporation because of the kick-backs, if not, the moment the SLSI refuses way back in October 2020, the stock of fertilizer should have been rejected by the CFC and sent back to the country of origin instead of keeping it in Sri Lanka. The Maha season is a cover to accept the rejected and PBJ too should take the blame for and be HUNG together with the rest.
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a14455 / April 7, 2021
Sri Lanka’s public service is the cause of all the problems
look at the Chinese Vaccine – the Govt servants hold on to it
look at the CEB and the state of power generation
and now these clowns. I am not sure if there is a link between fertilizer and kidney failures, I thought they were blaming Roundup for that. Farmers can’t farm due to some bureaucrats cant do their job. Fire all these clowns and get the country moving again.
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nimal fernando / April 7, 2021
“Fire all these clowns and get the country moving again.”
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So, who should fire these clowns? Ranil?
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Your light cone of vision might be blocked by Rajapakses’ posterior ……… so why don’t you pay me half of what the Rajapaqkses pay you: I’ll write the propaganda? Is that a deal? :))
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Can’t say the Rajapakses lack a sense of humour! …… to hire the Three Stooges for their propaganda!
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With all these poisons floating around ……. at least now the people can die laughing!
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leelagemalli / April 7, 2021
Listen! If u have a brain the size of a needle head, nobody else but Rajapakshe mlechcha politics and total ignorance, stupidity, power intoxication, self adulation hoodwinking grass root level kaliamma controlled gullible people and the place given to sinhala buddhism/hypocrisy and lot more ruined this country. These men should be dragged to galle face green and be subjected to public executions in oder better future to be dawned. Law and oder today is regulated by medamulana bps with fools dominated rural people still backing the criminals. May God and divine forces to work on it sooner than later😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎
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Ajith / April 7, 2021
a 14455,
Good man. Shoot all the public servants if they are problems. Are they problem for Gota or Country?
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a14455 / April 7, 2021
anyone who has lived for any period in the country knows
how they work . There are s few honest hardworking but the rest are garbage.
They are a problem for the country , period !
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Ashan / April 7, 2021
The wannabe dictator has overridden the experts, and pushed for this poisoned fertilizer to be distributed in the country. It simply shows that he does not give a damn for the health of the people, and will push to expose them to toxic chemicals. Contaminated coconut oil, and now this, looks like there is incompetence and total failure when it comes to the Sri Lankan people and their health.
We have no oversight, no monitoring, and Nandasena calls the shots.
So how are those clean roads?
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sitrep24 / April 7, 2021
The fools who voted for the rabid racist can eat off those roads !
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sitrep24 / April 7, 2021
Remember that time when the extremist sinhala buddhists were happy to harm Christian and Muslim groups by forcefully cremating the bodies of those who passed away due to/suspected of covid ? Falsely claiming against established scientific evidence, that ‘covid could travel through the earth looking for ground water and contaminate it’ ??
.
I pray these toxic substances don’t find their way to those who stood for justice regardless of race/religion or ethnicity. On the other hand, those extremist sinhala buddhists who wish to cause harm and hurt minorities, yea I wish you criminals eat the fruits of your racist vote.
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Mahila / April 7, 2021
Ashan, Well said. Your comment, “So how are those clean roads?”
Well, that is necessary too, when you have a spate of illness and consequent death, the debauchery demands that there be speedy disposal of the remains, so that there be no need for an Autopsy. That’s why you have clean roads too in the melee. No need of a Perry Mason, Agatha Christie or Inspector Frost to unearth that. What a country to allow Cd and Pb to be in the agricultural process, when Maithri S banned Glyphosate as causing CKD and paralysed the Exchange earning Tea Industry. Clowns are dancing the Thovila (Devil Dance).
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cugan / April 7, 2021
Pavithra sacked the 7 officials because they refused the vaccine,so SLSI officials case may be same fate
What authority have this prez secretary
Mahasangha wants to have a dictator here we go
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Thiha / April 7, 2021
So Lakpohora imported two batches of contaminated fertilizer and got away with it. I suppose the usual dirty deal was done where the price was inflated and rubbish was imported. Without batting an eye lid to find out who did this the poorest of the poor are being poisoned not only with fertilizer but also with Oil and Dhal for it is the poorest of the poor who would go out and buy coconut oil in a bottle from a bulk tank kept in a village kadey. This all spells out one thing and that is your vote and an election no longer matter. The voting public made one fatal error and now they are trapped. The ruling family duped the poor Sinhalese voter for the last time. Now they got the country by the balls to screw with it as they please with no consequences.
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Naman / April 7, 2021
NGR is letting in the Crooked businessmen to profit either by Scams or importing contaminated oil/fertilisers as his return in kind for their SUPPORT during the Presidential Election in November 2019. M.Sirisena will be NOT prosecuted for his willful NEGLIGENCE of not prevnting Easter Sunday bombings, that helped NGR to win the Presidential Election by huge margins. What is left for all True Sri Lankans is to PRAY to the gods for a good outcome to come soon.
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chiv / April 7, 2021
When Vaccine regulating authority did their job, the whole board was fired. (even Trump did not dare such move).When SLSI person tried doing his job the govt is after him. I will not be surprised if that person or the whole dept gets fired soon. Thug Rambuk is specially assigned to go after and get rid of that person. When CJ disagreed Rajapaksas, they got her fired overnight and send thugs to her home. When people raised concerns about deforestation, they were called for inquiry. When people questioned Covid data, management or vaccination drive on social media they too were arrested. But no one was fired for Geneva debacle, MS is still free after Easter commission found him accountable. We also have many innocent now locked up after Easter on framed charges or no charges what so ever. This is moral lawful nation , Mr. Sircular promised.
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MyView / April 7, 2021
Some may recall that following the adulterated coconut oil fiasco, The DG of SLSI (Ms. Siddhika) said that if the strict standards were enforced on imports, 30% of the companies in SL will close down.
She was found fault by everyone for saying the truth as she knew what was happening with govt being main culprit as in this TSP case. TSP is about US$400 per MT so 12000 MT would cost $4.8M or SLRs.960M SLRs. If the Fertilizer Company lost this money, they would be bankrupt and even re-export will be at least a 50% loss or nearly 500M SLRs.
No wonder she said the truth as SL is a rubbish dump, but she is in hot water.
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Simon / April 7, 2021
Now all the “FORCES” including the “GMOA” have turned against the SLSI Director-General Dr. Siddika Senaratne for making a statement at the interview with “HIRU” TV correspondent. I “suspect” it was a well “Arranged” interview. With this “Revelation” of 12,000 MT of TSP fertilizer laced with “Lead” and “Cadmium” released on the “Directives” of the Presidential Secretariat amply proves that “SLSI” has most often than not “Directed” to release most of the “Imported” items that were tainted with harmful contaminants to the public. In essence, that was the “TRUTH” Dr. Siddika Senaratne told us. Now the “MEDIA” (Coolies of Govt) together with other “Forces” have “FOUND” an easy “Scapegoat” to “Name and Blame” the entirety of the “Hidden Mafia” operated by the “Big Wigs”. The other day, when “Ravana Balaya” Brigade “forcibly” (staged) entered the SLSI office to meet the “Chairman” (the one transferred from Sathosa after the “Sugar Scam”), he said: “I have no legal power in this position. I will get the information tomorrow”. Did you notice, who was there sipping a cup of tea before the entry of “Ravana Balaya”? He was a “Lawyer MP” of “Pohottuwa” and a lackey of “GR’s” and a member of “Viyathmaga”. While the discussion was going on with the “Chairman”, he (this MP Lawyer) was seen handing over some papers to the “Buddhist” priest of “Ravana Balaya”.
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chiv / April 8, 2021
A 00000, Anyone who has lived for any period in the country knows how corrupt, criminal, bogus the Rajapaksas clan is. They are a problem for the country period. The guy who got few thousands in santhosam got nabbed. ( right thing to do) But Rajapaksas looted Billions and didn’t people reward them with more power. Only immoral people pick such immoral leaders. Stop blaming others for your own stupidity. Why do you think Mr.Lanka put all his people in such positions and had retired generals to supervise them. Now with the deserving 7 million the rest too are getting right Royal treatment. Soon you will have contaminated water, air , poor quality medicines , LKR to use as toilet paper , there is a plan to make common medicines in Lanka, paniya bandara as your attending doctor in government hospital, soon told by government what to eat and so on. , just like in North Korea. The 7 million call it as defeat syndrome. I will like to see how comfortable Rajapaksas are from now, having meal served by public in village functions. People should serve the same food and make them to drink water to see their reaction.
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