Polonnaruwa office of the Wildlife Department states that the toilet waste of the Somavathiya sacred area is disposed of 300 meters away from the historical Somavathiya Chaitya using gully bowsers. Wildlife officer Kumarasiri Wijekoon said excreta is dumped in pits in Somavathiya National Park and there is a heavy stink in the area and the herds of wildboar and wild animals living in the vicinity are used to eating the excrement.
Kumarasiri Wijekoon further said that regarding the disposal of faecal waste in the Somavathiya Sanctuary, a person in Sungawila area has been questioned and the matter has been reported to the Polonnaruwa Magistrate’s Court on June 8 through a B report.
The Polonnaruwa Magistrate’s court has ordered Wildlife officials to arrest the suspects illegally dumping toilet waste and garbage in Somavathiya National Park and to produce them in court
Kumarasiri Wijekoon also pointed out that on December 11, 2022, the wildlife officials including himself informed the military camp in the area about the adverse situation and also explained the facts to the chief incumbent Thera of the Somavathiya Maha Viharaya.
Wijekoon also said that however it was unfortunate to note that this illegal and unhealthy practice was still continuing.
He also said that recently, while going to arrest a suspect during the disposal of toilet waste, three monks of the Somavathiya Rajamaha Viharaya protested against it and considering the situation the arrest was not made. When we inquired about this situation from the Somavathiya Rajamaha Viharaya Chief Incumbent Ven.Pahamune Sumangala Thera,he stated that according to the instructions of the Wildlife Department, the activities have been stopped and now only water is being disposed in those places.
The Thera said that certain persons had dug large pits in those places and disposed waste and these were their blunders and added but dumping waste has ceased.