The government has issued a fresh circular to monitor the construction of places of religious worship in the country, in an effort to ease religious tension, the House Leader and Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva informed Parliament today.

 

Making a statement in the House in response to a query by Opposition United National Party (UNP) Leader  Ranil Wickremesinghe, the minister said the new circular was in addition to the one issued in 2008, outlining the criterion to be followed in the construction of places of religious worship.
 

He said a committee was also appointed to monitor such work in future. The committee comprises the directors in charge of the four departments overseeing Buddhist, Islam, Hindu and Christian religious affairs.
 

The minister requested the opposition to support the Government in its endeavor to defuse religions tension before it breaks out into a major calamity.(KB & YP)