Tourism activities at Nildiya Pokuna, a rare natural water source inside the Ravana Ella Sanctuary, are to be formally regulated and conducted under the supervision of the Wildlife Conservation Department.
The site sits within an internal cave complex in the Karandagolla Grama Niladhari Division of the Ella Divisional Secretariat, in the Badulla District, and is known for its unusual geographical features, Daily Mirror reported.
It has become a popular destination among both local and foreign visitors. Authorities identified the need to monitor and regulate tourism there to conserve what the report describes as a sensitive natural resource.
How the regulations were drawn up
A technical committee comprising university lecturers and representatives of relevant government institutions was appointed to study the matter, and subsequently submitted a report on the management of tourism activities at the site.
Regulations were drafted on the basis of those recommendations and have been reviewed and confirmed by the Legal Draftsman.
Cabinet has now approved a proposal by the Minister of Environment to publish the regulations in the Gazette. Daily Mirror reported the gazetting as being under the provisions of the “Wildlife and Flora Ordinance”; the statute governing sanctuaries and wildlife protection in Sri Lanka is the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance.
The stated aim is to allow tourism to continue at Nildiya Pokuna while protecting the site for the longer term.
The decision follows a run of measures tightening management of protected areas and park access, including digital ticketing at national parks and a development plan for Yala.
