Maligawa, Police and KMC at loggerheads over vendors

By Shane Seneviratne

The Kandy Dalada Maligawa authorities with police assistance evicted flower sellers doing business around the premises citing security reasons but the Kandy Municipal Council has taken up the fight in favour of the vendors.Kandy Mayor L.B. Aluvihare has already written to the Buddhist Welfare Society for Suppliers and Vendors of Flowers that he had granted permission for the vendors to return to their original business places.

The evicted vendors had earlier complained to the Mayor that they were severely affected by the order to move into another area which most of the devotees do not even frequent on their way to pay homage to the Sacred Tooth Relic.

“Considering your plight and to facilitate the sale of flowers for the benefit of worshippers at the Maligawa, I have granted permission for a team of 14 who were engaged in the flower business earlier to continue with their business”, the Mayor’s letter stated.He said that however care needed to be exercised regarding the cleanliness of the place and urged them to use bins for the removal of withered flowers.

“Please ensure that no hindrances are caused to the worshipers or their vehicles by the vendors. Only those engaged in the sales need be present and discipline maintained,” he stated in the letter which had been copied to the Diyawadana Nilame, the Central Range DIG and the Public Health Inspectors among others.

But the Maligawa Police Post OIC, IP Thuistha Halangoda said since the area had been declared as a High Security Zone they could not permit the sale of flowers opposite the Maligawa. He said that the space provided to the flower sellers had been already allotted to place the footwear of the devotees.

IP Halangoda said the presence of the flower vendors posed a real security threat.

But, Mr. Aluvihare told The Kandy Times that immediate action should be taken to allow the flower vendors to return to their original places.