No illegal construction in Sri Pada: Dpty. Minister Paranawithan

There would be no illegal construction of any buildings in the land near the Sri Pada Forest Reserve, Deputy Minister Parliament Reforms and Mass Media Karunarathna Paranawithana said today.

Addressing the media at the weekly cabinet briefing at the Government Information Department Mr. Paranawithana said a rumor was spreading that a request was made to construct a hotel in the Marewatte Estate in the Sri Pada Forest Reserve.

“The holiday resort is situated in a private land in the Marewatte Estate. Several reports are being spread in the social media saying that the Sri Pada Forest Reserve would be taken over by Muslims by converting it into to a ‘Mecca’.

This is a direct insult to the Muslims and it is sad to hear such incidents. Muslim devotees in the Sri Pada area pay their respect to the Sri Pada. They always participate and support all the religious activities done in the Sri Pada. Most of the Hindu devotees as well provide facilities for the Sri Pada pilgrims,” he said.

He said, however, a powerful minister from the former government tried to construct some kind of hotel and to build a helipad in the area near a waterfall.

“There was no news in that time about it. But we stood against that. That minister is still in this government too and he has abandoned his idea. The recent owners of the holiday resort had requested permission to renovate it and the permission had been granted to them. But no environmental report had been received for the renovation and the Environmental Authority is conducting an investigation regarding the matter,” he said.

This government would not allow the clearing of any forest area to build hotels and helipads in the Sri Pada Forest Reserve, he said. (Chaturanga Pradeep)

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