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| The British colonial era Kachcheri in Jaffna where five acre property consist of a bird sanctuary in the heart of city. |
Last Friday, the Jaffna Magistrate issued an interim order against the government’s initiative to build a Rs 170 million funded indoor stadium at the Old Park complex site, once frequented by British colonialists.
Not many in Jaffna are aware that there used to be a bird sanctuary along with a park in the heart of the city until someone went to court and tried to secure an order against the proposed construction of an indoor stadium by removing decades-old, if not centuries-old, trees at the site.
A Jaffna-based environmentalist said one of the trees is believed to be around 100-120 years old.
Appearing on behalf of the petitioner, President’s Counsel M. A. Sumanthiran presented the facts about the five-acre property, arguing that it is registered as a charitable trust property since it was donated as a gift by the first British colonial Government Agent, Sir Percival Ackland Dyke, in 1853.
Less than two weeks ago, Transport, Highways and Urban Development Minister Bimal Rathnayake and NPP MP K. Ilankumaran were among the chief guests at the event where a foundation stone was laid for the indoor stadium following Cabinet approval obtained on November 10.
The court was told that the petitioner came to know about the government’s plan to build an indoor stadium through media reports and sought the court’s intervention, expressing concern over the environmental impact on the bird sanctuary and the park itself if the project is to be implemented.
Even during the height of the separatist conflict from 1990 to 1995, when Jaffna was under military control of the now defunct Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), the property was protected, the court was told.
The court was also informed that a ten-member trust committee that consists of current District Secretary M. Piratheepan decided, following a meeting on May 20, not to grant approval for any development work at the site since several government institutions were constructed in the past, but no revenue is collected from those bodies.
During the meeting, the trust committee also rejected a proposal to construct an open-air theatre and a swimming pool. Instead, it was proposed that since the property came under the purview of the Department of Archaeology, a protective fence should be erected around it.
The indoor stadium project was proposed by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports with the objective of promoting indoor sports and improving access to modern sporting facilities in the region.
The court is scheduled to hear the case next Friday. (Courtesy- The Sunday Times) (Northeastern Monitor / December 16/2025)
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