Sagama Dagoba to be renovated

Priyanka Kurugala

The National Heritage Ministry plans to renovate the Sagama Dagoba dismantled by saboteurs in the Eastern Province. The ministry will allocate Rs one million to renovate the Dagoba, National Heritage Minister Jagath Balasuriya said.

"Along with the Deyata Kirula Development Programme, the Archaeological Department will take action to conserve many archaeological sites in the Eastern Province," he said.

"Plans will be drawn up to establish name boards in certain places to identify archaeological sites in the Eastern Province," he said.

"These action plans will be launched during the first quarter of the year. Three hundred newly recruited graduates will be deployed in Ampara, Trincomalee and Batticaloa to fill the officer vacancies in the Archaeology Department, the minister said. Archaeological Director General Senarath Dissanayake said along with the dagoba, the ruins of a vihara complex also could be seen in the vicinity.

"Parts of tiles found from the Sagama Dagoba site belonged to the Anuradhapura period," he said.

Scholars say Pesawalalu of the destroyed dagoba also had been found from the site. Scholars say ruins of small and large dagobas and temples could also be seen.