Courtesy Hiru News

Defense Secretary Retired Major General Kamal Gunaratne has taken steps to establish a navy sub-divison for the protection of the Pottuvil Muhudu Maha Viharaya which has been invaded by illegal acquisitions.  

This was after he visited the area to inquire about the safety of the Pottuvil Muhudu Maha Viharaya based on the Hiru CIA revelation.

On several occasions, the Hiru CIA program revealed about the plunder of land at Pottuvil, highlighting the importance of protecting this historic sacred site.

The land invasion was so intense during the last Yahapalana regime that the Pottuvil Pradeshiya Sabha had taken steps to turn the beach adjacent to the Pottuvil Muhudu Maha Viharaya into a cemetery.

While the Pottuvil Muhudu Maha Viharaya was losing land at an alarming speed, the ‘yahapalanaya government turned a blind eye into those revelations.  

After the election of the present government, the invaders were silent and gradually recommenced their work during the Coronavirus pandemic, when countrywide curfew was in force.

The Hiru CIA team exposed the demarcation of the coastline around the Pottuvil Muhudu Maha Viharaya using illegal fencing, amidst the obstruction of the invaders.

Minister S.G.M. Chandrasena and a group of officials were deployed to investigate the plunder of lands belonging to the Muhudu Maha Viharaya on the instructions of the President and the Prime Minister after the illegal land grabbing incidents were exposed by Hiru CIA.

Meanwhile, yesterday the Defense Secretary Retired Major General Kamal Gunaratne also visited to look into these issues.