Thaiyiddy Tissa Vihara: illegally acquired private land to be surveyed on April 17

Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Development S. Chandrasekaran presided a meeting at Jaffna District Secretariat today over the Thaiyiddy Buddhist shrine issue where hundreds of acres of private land was acquired by military in recent past. 

Private land that were illegally acquired to erect a Buddhist shrine in Thaiyiddy, Jaffna are to be surveyed by government officials in order to commence the process of returning them, a government Minister said today in Jaffna (April 11).

Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic development S. Chandrasekaran said during a meeting with government officials at Jaffna District Secretariat that lands that were taken for the Buddhist shrine - Thaiyiddy Tissa Vihara will be returned back to rightful owners following the surveying process. 

Stressing that government is of the view of ‘ people’s land is for people’, steps are taken to return those private lands to their rightful owners soon. 

So far 17 land owners have been identified and the surveying land process is to commence on April 17.  Land owners are instructed to appear on that day with their deed documents and assist officials in marking their boundaries in order to ensure the ownership of their lands. (Northeastern Monitor / April 11/2026)