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.