Government mediation for heritage site management is vital - Defence Secretary
October 03, 2020Defence Secretary Maj. Gen. (Retd) Kamal Gunaratne said under the directives of His Excellency the President, Mihintale Mihindu Maha Stupa will also be renovated in keeping with the guidance of the temple’s Chief Prelate.
“Having conducted initial discussions at the Defence Ministry, we arrived at the location today with state officials and further discussed on the initial planning process”, he said.
Responding to a question on the management of sacred places of worship situated in other provinces, he said “Mediation of government in the same vein is essential”.
“Those are our heritage which makes us proud”, he said “Therefore, it is our duty to conserve them for future generation of this country.
He asserted “we care for our heritage while setting up a mechanism to continue its protection all the time”.
He further stated, during a meeting with the Divisional Secretaries of Northern, North Central and Eastern Provinces, we also discussed the heritage site management process in respective areas.
He expressed these views while addressing the media during a visit to the Mihintale Purana Rajamaha Viharaya yesterday (Oct 2).
Defence Secretary Maj. Gen. Gunaratne also mentioning about the renovations of Deegawapiya Stupa, an ancient Buddhist sacred shrine and an archaeological site in Ampara District said “Since the cabinet approval has been granted, we commenced the renovation of Deegawapiya Stupa situated in the Eastern Province”
State funds wouldn’t be used for the task and only the funds generated through the devotees' Trust Fund would be used while providing labour force from the Security Forces and Civil Security Department, he said.
We will be able to open it for devotees to worship in due course, he also sated.
He said President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has directed to restore the deteriorated structures of ancient religious sites of worship for Buddhist devotees.
Accordingly, we have commenced the restoration process for such dilapidated structures in several places in the island, he said.
Mentioning about the on-going ‘Sandahiru Stupa’ construction in Anuradhapura, commissioned by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa in 2010, dedicated for war heroes who sacrificed their precious lives during the war, he said “the progress was diminutive during the recent past and as a result, the President and the Prime Minister directed us to expedite the same”.
“We will be able to vest this huge Buddhist Stupa to the worshipers on completion of the expedited work within another one and half years”, he also said.
