Attempts to drive out Sigiriya folk in guise of diverse projects

 People of Sigiriya maintain that they sacrificed their traditional land to development projects and have 
been left without basic amenities now 

• The public toilets in the new town pose an eyesore and provide a choking feeling due to the nauseating smell that they produce
• Those who are affected by this environmental hazard include thousands of people who are depending on tourism and allied trades

By Kanchana Kumara Ariyadasa 

The Sigiriya the rock fortress, which was built during King Kasyapa’s reign, is a world heritage city. However this heritage city has turned into a squalid town much to the dismay of the residents of the area. Those who are affected by this environmental hazard include thousands of people who are depending on tourism and allied trades. 

The grieved parties point out that the trade stalls in the new town have been in a dilapidated state, tarnishing the image of this exquisite tourist destination. The public toilets in the new town pose an eyesore and provide a choking feeling due to the nauseating smell that they produce. These toilets have been neglected and are in need of maintenance and regular cleaning. 
Meanwhile, herds of wild elephants roam into the town at dusk endangering the life of the people including tourists. Residents of the area point out that they have been facing the threat of wild elephants since long.
Sigiriya was declared a world heritage in1983 by the UNESCO, but even the plaque installed to mark the occasion has been left to the shrub jungle.
The maintenance of Sigiriya town is within the purview of the Central Cultural Fund and the Department of Archaeology. At present the Dambulla Pradeshiya Sabha is responsible for maintaining car parks and the toilets in the town. The toilets for tourists have been in a dilapidated state owing to neglect of repairs. The maintenance of these toilets was undertaken by a private contractor following a tender process. Residents of the area said that they have been compelled to breathe polluted air and face a health hazard due to the nauseating smell from the toilets. Meanwhile two buildings used earlier by the CCF to issue tickets have been occupied by some individuals by force. The CCF and the Department of Archaeology had acquired land belonging to the people who were living in the environs of Sigiriya. These people were resettled in the new town about 30 years ago. It was intended to provide enhanced protection to the world heritage city. However they said that they sacrificed their traditional land to the project and now have been left without basic amenities. The settlers in the new town, who expresses concern about their predicament, pointed out that the authorities were again planning to eject more families people from Sigiriya area.
They have misgivings that the conspiracy being hatched to drive away the people from Sigiriya area under the pretext of carrying out diverse projects is to handover land to the business community.  
 Meanwhile Chairman of Dambulla Pradeshiya Sabha, W.M.Tilakaratne, said that he carried out an inspection of the new town and that he had focused his attention on the issues affecting the residents of the area and the tourists. He said that the Pradeshiya Sabha would implement a rapid programme to resolve their issues. The chairman further said the Sigiriya new town would be developed under a project funded by the Asian Development Plan.