Anuradhapura sacred area development plan
by Neville Ladduwahetty According to the History of the National Physical Planning Department, the “Anuradhapura Conservation Ordinance, established in 1942, can be considered as the first legal cover presented for the preparation and implementation of plans for any identified area within Sri Lanka; it is probably the first legislation to protect a historic site in […]
The Anuradhapura Sacred Area Development Plan emerged from a 1942 ordinance that aimed to protect historic sites in Sri Lanka. Architect Oliver Weerasinghe, as the first Government Town Planner, was tasked with creating a Preservation Plan for the sacred city. The plan consisted of two parts: the Sacred Area and the New Town, with administrative functions and buildings being relocated to the latter.
The Sacred City includes Eight Sacred Sites, such as Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi and Jetavanaramaya, which are considered the cradle of Theravada Buddhism. The Department of Town and Country Planning, responsible for preserving the Sacred City, remained unchanged from 1946 to 1998. In 1998, the Antiquities (Amendment) Act empowered the Director General of Archaeology to assess and implement mitigatory measures for development affecting the area.
The Constitution of 1977 gave Buddhism the foremost place, obligating the state to protect and sponsor the Buddha Sasana. The Supreme Court defined Buddha Sasana as encompassing not only ritual and practice but also the substance of Buddhist teachings, including ancient, historic, and sacred objects and places associated with Sinhala Buddhists.
Written by urgent.news from The Island Sri Lanka's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
