President Mahinda Rajapaksa making a financial donation for the construction of Sandahiru Seya to Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa at Temple Trees yesterday. Secretary to the President Lalith Weerathunga and Sandahiru Seya Project Coordinator Maj. Gen. Palitha Fernando were also present.Picture by Sudath Silva

President Mahinda Rajapaksa donated Rs.25 million for the construction of Sandahiru Seya, a monumental stupa, at the old Kurunegala junction, the southern entrance of Jayasrimaha Bodhi in Anuradhapura in honour of fallen war heroes who made the supreme sacrifice to eradicate the 30 year terrorist war.

The government took a decision to erect nine monumental Stupas in the nine provinces in appreciation of the noble services rendered by the Armed Forces and Police to defeat terrorism and bring lasting peace to the country. The construction of the first Stupa is underway on the directions of Defense Ministry Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.

The President offered the financial donation to Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa at Temple Trees yesterday.

The Stupa will be built at a cost of Rs. two billion. The extent of the Stupa will be 215 feet while its height is 285 feet. Around 30 million bricks would be required for the construction together with 9.5 million lime stone, 50,000 cubes of granite, 20,000 cubes of ABC (Granite Powder) and 500,000 kilos of cement. Construction of the bubble shaped Stupa is estimated to take around four years.

Secretary to the President Lalith Weerathunga and Sandahiru Seya Project Coordinator Maj. Gen. Palitha Fernando were also present.

By Atapattu BANDARA
Source: Dailynews(Sri Lanka)