Sri Pada season begins today: CEA urges devotees not to pollute environment

By Ifham Nizam

The Central Environmental Authority (CEA) has requested devotees visiting Sri Pada (Adams Peak) to avoid disposing of garbage, especially polythene and plastic, in the vicinity.

CEA Chairman, Supun S. Pathirage, yesterday said that the Sri Pada Vandana (Pilgrimage) season will start on Unduwap Full Moon Poya Day, December 07 (today) and will end on Vesak Full Moon Poya in 2023.

“The main rivers of Sri Lanka originate from the Sri Pada Site Sanctuary. It is our duty and responsibility to protect this sensitive environment. Therefore, the garbage generated after using polythene plastic packaging, or containers, carried by the pilgrims, who come to visit Sri Pada, should not be released into this sensitive environmental zone, and should be taken back to their homes or at the beginning of the main access routes to Sri Pada (i.e. Nallathanni Road and Ratnapura).

The CEA Chief also requested pilgrims to hand over, or arrange for the garbage collection centres run by the local authorities for the Sri Pada Vandana season, to collect the garbage.

He also said that if the donors provide food, accompanied by plastic water bottles, and drink bottles, or plastic polythene packaging, to the devotees, they are requested to implement a programme to collect and dispose of the packaging properly.

Deputy Director of Police Environmental Protection Division, Superintendent of Police Manoj Perera, Deputy Director General of Waste Management Division of Central Environment Authority, Engineer J. M. U. Indraratne and the Deputy Director Generals of the Central Environment Authority Jayavilal Fernando, Dr. Sanjay Ratnayake, Ajith Weerasundara, N. S. and. Gamage also took part at a programme organised to spell out CEA plans.