KANDY — Most Ven. Mahanayake Thero of Malwatte on Thursday (28), inaugurated a relief assistance fund titled "Malwathu Maha Vihariya Tibbatuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumnagala Manawa Sahayogitha Padanama."
The ceremonial inauguration was inaugurated at a meeting of leading members of the sangha and laymen at the official Aramaya of the Malwatte Mahanayake Thero.
The objective of the foundation is to assist the poorest of the poor irrespective of their communal differences the Mahanayake Thero said.
The foundation will assist raise the standard of living of the rural under-trodden who suffer without adequate food, lodging and shelter and facilities for education for their children, the prelate said disclosing the objective of the foundation.
The fund will also take measures to help the sangha to find his own requirements and the construction or maintenance of his aramaya as well, the Mahanayake Thero said.
The foundation does not intend to collect from the rich and give the poor. Its aim is to give out to those in need from what it has. Therefore the foundation will not go about collecting funds but will welcome any donations while in service to the unfortunate members of the society, he added.
At the inauguration itself many donors made contributions in millions of rupees.
The Public Trustee Sarath Seneviratne donated from his department a sum of Rs. 1.5 million.
Secretary, Malwatte Chapter Ven. Walgowwagoda Vimalabuddhi Thero made the welcome speech.
Anunayake of Malwatte Ven. Dr. Niyangoda Vijthisiri, Dr. Kolluptiye Mahinda (Chief Incumbent Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihare), Ven. Dr. Aluthwewe Soratha, Ven. Galaboda Gnanissara Thero and Ven. Pannila Ananda, Devalegama Dhammasena, Kandy Mayor Kesara D. Senanayake, Kandy MMC, Raja Pushpakumara, DIG Nimal Mediwake, Basnayake Nilame of Kataragama Thilanga Delabandara, Basnayake Nilames Ranjith Ellegoda and Mohan Panabokke, and D. P. Jayasinghe were among those present to make donations.
The Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation Ministry has decided to restore Kandy Lake at a cost of Rs. 65 million.
The Ministry said the restoration work on Kandy Lake, which has been polluted for decades, would begin on 30 October.
A ceremony will be held to mark the commencement of the work. The Mahanayakes of the Asgiriya and Malwatte chapters, the Maha Sangha, and ministers and MPs from the Kandy district including Deputy Minister Bimal Ratnayake will be present. Minister Anura Dissanayake will preside over the ceremony.
King Sri Wickrema Rajasinghe built the lake in 1810
