• CEA instructed to halt operations until expert report is prepared

Following the declaration of Ambuluwawa Mountain as a high-risk zone for landslides, the Ministry of Environment has instructed the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) to take the necessary steps to halt all construction activities on the mountain until an official expert report is obtained and a final determination is made on the risk situation, Environment Minister Dammika Patabendi told The Sunday Morning.

The National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) conducted an inspection tour of Ambuluwawa on 19 December 2025, nearly two weeks after a landslide was reported in the area, to examine locations affected by slope failure and instability.

When asked whether the ministry had received a related report, Patabendi said the area had been declared a high-risk zone.

The Minister said discussions had also been initiated to bring the administration of Ambuluwawa under State control, in light of serious concerns raised over the legal basis of land acquisition and construction activities on the mountain. 

Serious concerns had been raised regarding its governance, the allocation of land, and the utilisation of State funds for development activities at Ambuluwawa, he added.

“This issue cannot be resolved by the Ministry of Environment alone. The Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs, the relevant Pradeshiya Sabha, and other institutions also need to intervene.  Accordingly, collective discussions have been initiated, and we expect to move forward based on the outcomes of these discussions,” Patabendi said.

He noted that the directive to halt construction had been issued following media reports and other investigation findings related to landslides that occurred on Ambuluwawa Mountain in the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah.

Emphasising that public safety was the Government’s primary concern, Patabendi said urgent action would be taken to address administrative irregularities at the site.

“We want to ensure that people living in the area are not put at risk, as the mountain has been declared a high-risk zone. We will also take swift action to address the problematic issues that have arisen in relation to the administration of the site,” he stressed.

Ambuluwawa Mountain is administered under the Ambuluwawa Dissanayake Mudiyanselage Jayaratne Religious Centre and Biodiversity Complex Trust Fund Act No.44 of 2009. The land for the project was vested in the trust fund through a deed of trust by the Chief Trustee.

According to Section 19 of the act, the Founder of Ambuluwawa is D.M. Jayaratne. Section 16 further states that upon the death of the Founder, his son should succeed to the position, followed by the eldest male descendant in the lineage.

Ambuluwawa is a major tourist attraction in Sri Lanka, best known for its iconic spiral tower and its unique status as a multi-religious biodiversity complex. It is located on Ambuluwawa Mountain near the town of Gampola.