The UDA and the Archaeology Department will seek a court order to dismantle buildings in the Galle Cricket Stadium.
These buildings obscure the view of the historic Galle Fort, a world heritage site, official sources said. The UNESCO had threatened to strike off the Galle Fort from the list of World Heritage sites on several occasions blaming the government for its failure to file legal action against these unauthorised constructions which hamper the view of the Fort, they added. Although the previous regime had given UNESCO an undertaking to dismantle these structures it had not materialised.The UNESCO had recently accused the government of its failure to carry out this assurance and given a final warning that it may have to strike Galle Fort out of the list of World Heritage sites unless the buildings were removed.
Official sources said the UDA had already finalised arrangements to seek a court order to dismantle the said buildings.
An official attached to the Galle Heritage Foundation said the Archaeological Department will petition court against these constructions while the UDA which is the authorised institution handling the dismantling of unauthorised constructions had also finalised arrangements to file a court case in this regard.
Legal action will be taken against the trustees and owners of the Galle cricket stadium soon, he added.