Local body in Jaffna to declare Thaiyiddy Buddhist vihara as illegal shrine

 

Thaiyiddy Tissa Vihara, built on civilian owned lands in Valikaamam North. The land owners are demanding authorities to remove the shrine and return their lands. 

Valikaamam North Pradeshiya Sabha passed a resolution yesterday declaring the Thaiyiddy Tissa Vihara as an illegal religious shrine that was built without any approval from authorities on private land in Jaffna. 

When the Sabha convened under the chairmanship of S. Sukirthan, Sabha member P. Sarujan moved a resolution to declare the SHEIN as illegal building and put up a trilingual notice board in front of the property since it violated regulations of the local body. 

The move comes in the wake of announcement that government has taken steps to recognize the Buddhist shrine built on civilian land with handing over of administrative duties to Chief monk of the shrine Gintotta Nandarama Thero on Sunday  (December 21) in Colombo. 

Organized by Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural affairs, Opposition Leader  Sajith Premadasa is also scheduled to attend the event along with senior government ministers. 

For every Poya day, Tamil National Peoples’ Front staged protest in front of the Buddhist shrine along with the rightful owners of the land on which the shrine is built to remove the shrine and return civilian owned lands. (Northeastern Monitor / December 19/2025)