Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam yesterday promised to take all measures to protect the World Heritage Sites and other archaeological sites despite various protests orchestrated by people with vested interests.
Addressing the media yesterday at the Government Information Department, Minister Kariyawasam said that some bankrupt politicians are attempting to gain political advantage by charging that the government is going to take over the assets of temples.
“Some politicians who had stolen artifacts and destroyed some historical sites are now pointing fingers at us. They even called me Bahirawaya. I like them calling me Bahirawaya since Bahirawaya is the one who protects valuable places or things. As a Buddhist, I am ready to be a Bahirawaya to protect places of religious and historical value,”the Minister said.
Minister Kariyawasam said the Archeological Department has the authority to issue tickets for the places which have been gazetted as the World Heritage Sites and archeological monuments. The purpose of issuing tickets is not to misuse these sites. Such types of malpractices occurred in the past. But, now there is no room for such malpractices. People are free to inquire about any topic or subject under the Right to Information Act.
He further said that the income of the Central Cultural Fund had been increased by Rs.600 million last year.
Denying allegations that the government was going to take over the Rangiri Dambulla Viharaya, Minister Kariyawasam revealed that they are taking action to curb corruption within the temple following a request made by the Rangiri Dambulla Rajamaha Viharaya Chief Incumbent Ven. Dr.Godagama Sri Mangala Thera.
"Sending a letter in February this year, Ven.Mangala Thera asked me to conduct an investigation into the alleged malpractices and corruption which has been taking place at the temple," the Minister said.
“On an inspection of the World Heritage Site,we found that the antiquities were in a precarious condition and no maintenance had been done to protect and preserve it despite the large income earned by the temple,” Minister Kariyawasam said.
"UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova on a recent visit to the temple said Dambulla was at risk of being removed from the World Heritage Site list,"the minister said.
“We cannot approve of the acts of certain Buddhist monks who have been running the temple. Since the early 1980s and up to 1996, it was the Central Cultural Fund (CCF) which issued tickets to foreigners,but in 1996, the monks pressurised the government to stop that practice. But,after 2009, the monks started issuing tickets priced at Rs.1,500 each to foreigners,”he said.
He pointed out that according to the Antiquities Ordinance,the Archaeology Department is entitled to issue a ticket.
"The Dambulla Temple which comes under the Vihara Devalagam Ordinance is required to submit their yearly accounts for auditing purposes to the Commissioner of Buddhist Affairs. According to that report, the annual income of the temple in 2015 was Rs 2,971,000 and the Commissioner of Buddhist Affairs has also certified this. But we cannot accept this since the annual income of the temple remained as Rs.2,919,900 in 2000 where the price of the entrance ticket for foreigners was between 3-4 dollars. The present value of an entrance ticket is priced Rs.1,500," the Minister said.
“Our investigations show that they would at least earn between Rs.2-8 million a day on average,” the minister said.
The Minister stressed that though the temple had been collecting the money they had not spent it for maintenance and preservation and instead had built illegal structures, leading to the damage to the archaeological value of the site. The Central Cultural Fund has spent Rs.50 million this year.
"The Central Cultural Fund can utilise this money for the preservation of all sites. We have already taken measures to provide funds of less than Rs 500,000 each for the renovation activities of 150 temples.
The Minister further charged that the administration of the Dambulla Rangiri Viharaya has not allowed Central Cultural Fund officials deployed for the maintenance of this world heritage site to enter the premises.
"The paintings of the Dambulla Cave Temple are in danger due to the absence of proper maintenance," Minister Kariyawasam added.