THISAWEWA PROTECTION GROUP CALLS FOR TOTAL BAN ON BATHING IN LAKE

The Organisation for the Protection of the Thisawewa staged a protest yesterday, claiming the decision taken by Anuradhapura Government Agent D.P.G. Kumarasiri to only allow area residents of the Sacred city of Anuradhapura to bathe in the Thisawewa and to prohibit it to people from other areas, including pilgrims, was wrong and would worsen the issue of pollution in the lake.

More than 1000 members of the organisation participated. They stressed the need to prevent anyone from bathing in the lake as the water was used to venerate the Jayasri Maha Bodhi and also to meet the drinking water requirements of the people of Anuradhapura.

The organisation said they were totally opposed to the GA’S decision to relax the total ban on persons being allowed to bathe in the Thisa wewa to allow only residents to use it for bathing.

President of the organisation Chief Incumbent of the Devanampiyatissapura Temple Ven. Ganihigama Mettananda Thera pointed out that more than 500,000 pilgrims flock to Anuradhapura during the Vesak and Poson festivals, and joined a large population in the Sacred city who pollute the lake by bathing and leaving excrement in it.

“The lake is polluted with human excreta, urine and garbage while people also consume alcohol on the banks of the wewa and dump the bottles into it after they finish without giving a thought about the harm that is being done as a result of their actions. It makes no difference whether it is pilgrims or the residents of the area, they all pollute the lake and leave,” the Ven.thera said.

Meanwhile, the Government Agent of the area, D.P.G Kumarasiri, said the area residents were allowed to use the lake only for bathing and that too only temporarily until an alternative was found.