Thousands of devotees trek through Kumana

by Dhaneshi YATAWARA

Over 15,400 devotees on the Pada Yathra, the traditional foot pilgrimage to Kataragama from the North and the East entered the Kumana National Park from July 2 - 16, said the Park’s Warden Ajith Wasantha. The Wildlife Department has taken steps to provide basic infrastructure facilities to the pilgrims on a directive by Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa.

According to Wildlife officials there has been a sharp increase in the number of devotees attending the traditional foot pilgrimage due to the peaceful environment prevailing in the Eastern Province. Wildlife officials of the Kumana National Park have been deployed at camping sites en route to avoid environment pollution.

“We give a cloth bag to devotees who carry many polythene bags. By this we can reduce environment pollution due to polythene and plastic usage”, Wasantha said. The Department of Wildlife received the cloth bags from a private company.

Wildlife Department officers advise devotees on how to set up campfires and dump garbage without damaging the fauna and flora of the park. Drinking water is given to devotees and with the support of a volunteer organisation more water bowsers will be available from this week. The Wildlife Department will increase the number of officials this week by recruiting more volunteers.

More people attend these rituals today due to the upgraded infrastructure facilities following the implementation of the Government initiated Neganahira Navodaya (Eastern Revival) program. Several programs are under way in the Kumana National Park to facilitate visitors on the instructions of Minister Rajapaksa.