Around 8,200 police officers have been deployed to arrest drunken drivers and liquor addicts who loiter near dansalas, Vesak decorations and religious places countrywide from May 5 to 10. Indecent performances under the guise of the Vesak festival are banned and those who organise such events would be taken in for questioning by the police following instructions by the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs.
About 1, 800 PHIs have also been deployed to inspect dansalas that offer food and drinks to people during the Vesak festive season, President of the Sri Lanka Union of PHIs, Upul Rohana said.
Deputy Excise Department Commissioner Kapila Kumarasinghe told the media that nearly 1,450 investigators have been deployed countrywide during the Vesak festive season to arrest those who sell liquor illegally to Vesak sightseers.
Kurunegala district senior PHI K.A. Somapala told the Sunday Observer that about 278 people were hospitalised during the last Vesak and Poson festive season as they had suffered from food poisoning and diarrhoea and people have been asked to take precautions when they partake of food and drinks at dansalas.
He added that dansal organisers have been called upon to use pure drinking water to prepare food and that polluted water could be reason for food poisoning.