Monks on ‘pindapatha’ to collect urgent relief items

By Chamodi Gunawardana

Narahenpita Abayaramaya monks in collaboration with several other civil organisations conducted an ‘Asarana Sarana’ pindapatha walk yesterday to collect urgent relief items to donate to those affected by the floods.

The pindapatha journey started at Abayaramaya and the monks walked across Narahenpita, Nugegoda, Maharagama and Kirulapone junctions to gather goods for displaced people. 

They collected dry rations including sugar, tea leaves, milk powder, dhal, biscuits and other relief items such as towels, bed sheets, diapers and water bottles.

Speaking at a media briefing, Abayaramaya Chief Incumbent Muruththettuwe Ananda Thero said all Sri Lankans should help the victims return to their normal lives.

“Most of the displaced families were not low income earners, they had a good quality of life. We should help them overcome this critical situation as much as we can,” Thero noted.

Buddhist monks line up for food and essentials to be donated to flood victims in the capital Colombo on 23 May. The heaviest rains in nearly 25 years triggered floods and landslides that killed at least 92 people and left another 109 missing, according to Sri Lanka’s Disaster Management Centre – Ishara S. Kodikara/AFP