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Ranil to request India for solar for temples 

28 Oct 2022

  • Meeting to be held today, India considering request favourably
BY Dinitha Rathnayake  President Ranil Wickremesinghe is expected to hold a discussion with Indian High Commissioner Gopal Baglay today (28) regarding the provision of solar panels to temples islandwide as a solution for the recent increase in electricity tariffs at religious places. Speaking to The Morning, Secretary to the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious, and Cultural Affairs Somaratne Vidanapathirana said that the relevant proposal has already been handed over to the Indian High Commission. Though an official decision is yet to be taken in this regard, according to official sources, the proposal is being considered favourably by the Indian authorities, especially as it concerns temples and religious places.    Vidanapathirana said that, if the proposal is accepted, solar panels would be provided under the Indian credit line. “We are still making the priority list and hoping to provide many solar panels in the future for temples islandwide.” Earlier, a proposal was presented to the Central Province Maha Sangha Sabha (monks’ council) to turn off lights in all temples across the island on the Vap Full Moon Poya Day in October, in protest of the increase in electricity tariffs at religious places.  Following a meeting related to the same, Ven. Galaha Sirisantha Thera commented on the matter, bringing to attention the ongoing season of the katina (a Buddhist ritual) ceremony and expressed strong suspicions of a conspiracy to keep temples in the dark during the seasons of the Vesak and Poson Poya Days, adding that it will not be possible to switch on lights in the temples in the near future in view of the current situation.  “The electricity bills in the temples have increased by five times. The electricity bill of my temple has become Rs. 60,000 so far,” he said. Further, the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) has sent directives to decrease the electricity tariff per unit for religious places that use more than 180 units per month, after influential Buddhist monks protested against the hike. However, the service provider, the State-run Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) said that no final decision has been taken yet. “As per information provided by PUCSL Chairman Janaka Ratnayake, when religious places consume more than 180 units, the price per unit will be brought down to Rs. 32 from Rs. 65 by considering those places as being under the ‘General Purpose’ category,” Trade Union Alliance Convenor Ravi Kumudesh said. He also said that a lasting solution should be provided to resolve the matter.  


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