4 May 2024 12:00 am Views - 153
By Ranjith Rajapakse
Chief Incumbent of Sri Padasthana and Chief Sanghanayake of Sabaragamuwa Province Ven. Bengamuwe Dhammadinna Thera said only foreign tourists would be permitted to visit Sri Pada during the off-season.
Addressing a meeting yesterday at Nallathanniya Sri Pada Buddhist Centre to announce the ending of Sri Pada pilgrim season 2023/2024 on the Vesak Full Moon Poya on May 24 he said the local tourists engaging in off-season visits caused extensive environmental damage and that it resulted in the decision to permit only the foreign tourists for off-season visits.
The meeting was chaired by Nuwara Eliya District Secretary Nandana Galaboda and attended by several senior officials.
Ven. Thera requested the police and the Divisional Secretaries to implement the decision.
The public protests against permitting a hotel in Nallathanniya to open a liquor shop were taken up at the meeting. The District Secretary said representations of the public in this regard would be considered, and the decisions would be revoked.
Secretary of the Trader Organization in Nallathanniya said the Tourist Board had permitted several hotels in the area to sell beer and that they had violated the conditions of the permit. He pointed out that empty beer bottles and cans had been strewn all over the town causing environmental damage.