Dalada Maligawa asked to pay Rs 13.2 Mn for electricity to be used for Esala Perahera

By Shane Seneviratne and Yohan Perera   

The Ceylon Electricity Board had informed the Dalada Maligawa to pay Rs 13.2 million for the electricity that is to be used for the annual Esala Perahera festival.   CEB has estimated that the total cost for electricity for the Maligawa and the four devalayas will be Rs 13.2 million. 

The CEB Engineer in charge of the Kandy City area has informed the Diyawadana Nilame and the Basnayaka Nilames to pay the amount immediately.   

Accordingly the Nata Devalaya has been asked to pay approximately Rs 1.1 million, Vishnu Devalaya a sum of Rs 1.3 million, and the Patthini Devalaya Rs 1.12 million. In addition the Maligawa has been asked to pay Rs 3.4 million. The total cost of illuminating the streets during the Perahera has been estimated at Rs 4.4 million by the CEB.   
This demand has been made by CEB despite the annual Esala Festival being gazetted as a traditional state function.   

Meanwhile Leader of Opposition Sajith Premadasa slammed this decision taken by the CEB. “ It is an insult to Buddhism, and to the entire nation,” Premadasa said in statement. 
This shows how much the government respects the Dalada Maligawa,” he said recalling that the government has wasted funds on a Jana Raja Perahera,” he added.