Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Minister Mahinda Amaraweera yesterday denied the allegations made by Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran that the government has planned to build a new fisheries harbour in the Keerimalai area in the Northern Province. Speaking at the Aadi Amavasai Hindu religious event at Sivapoomi Madam in Keerimalai, Wigneswaran accused the government of constructing the harbour to allow the Navy to keep the Maathakal fisheries harbour under its control.
“Sri Lanka’s efforts to desecrate the holy sites of Keerimalai has not only angered the Hindus but is also likely to anger anyone from other religious communities,” Wigneswaran had warned.
Expressing ideas on the media reports published by several media institutions in this regard, Minister Amaraweera said the government or the Fisheries Ministry had not taken such a decision to build a fisheries harbour at the Keeramalai holy site and said that he has no idea about such an effort of any other organisation. “The first fisheries harbour for the Northern Province and the largest fisheries harbour in the country is to be built at Pedro Point, Jaffna and another harbour is about to be built in the Guru Nagar area,” he said.
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