Nildiya Pokuna to reopen under direct Govt supervision

The Ministry of Environment has announced plans to reopen Nildiya Pokuna, located near Ravana Ella, to the public from next month under direct Government supervision.

Deputy Minister of Environment Dammika Patabendi said a Gazette notification had been signed to formalise the move.

He said Nildiya Pokuna had come under the purview of the Ministry on May 18, 1979, but had subsequently been operated by various tour guides and other organisations before being closed due to a number of issues.

“The Ministry has now stepped in to take control of the site and will operate it in a more organised and environmentally friendly manner,” he said.

Under the new arrangements, visitors will not be permitted to bathe at the site or take polythene, food or liquor into the area. Visitors will also be required to use the services of an authorised guide.

The Deputy Minister said children below 10 years would be discouraged from visiting the site without a parent or guardian.

The Ministry will introduce an entrance ticketing system, with the fee for local visitors expected to be around Rs. 1,800 inclusive of VAT. Visitors from SAARC countries will be charged USD 24, while visitors from other countries will be charged around USD 29.

An additional fee of around Rs. 200 will be payable for the services of an authorised guide.

Patabendi said training programmes for guides were currently underway, with around 60 guides, mainly from the surrounding area, expected to be deployed initially.

To minimise the environmental impact of tourism, the Ministry also plans to limit the number of visitors to around 300 per day, while each visitor will be allowed approximately one hour at the site.

The new management system is aimed at ensuring that Nildiya Pokuna can be opened to visitors while protecting its natural environment and maintaining better control over tourism activities in the area.