Siddhalepa sponsors environment protection at religious sites as part of green mission

The Siddhalepa Group enhanced their traditional environment protection activities at all key religious places of worship and festivals this year, as their commitment to create a healthier environment.

Several religious festivals were held in the past two months beginning with the Kataragama Devale Festival, the Kandy Esala Perehera, the Seenigama Devale Festival, the Ratnapura Saman Devale Festival, the Getabenewa Festival and the Ragama Thewatte Basilica Feast where throngs of devotees flock to these premises to worship.

The Siddhalepa Group has traditionally played a major role in creating a cleaner environment in these places of worship and also provided refreshing health drinks and operated first aid services.

This year the group enhanced its Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives in the Kataragama sacred area to coincide with the recent annual Kataragama Festival. The Siddhalepa Group distributed a new beverage Acqualive which replaced the traditional Lak Peyawa Dhansala which was a welcome refreshment to devotees who trek from the Kataragama Devale to the Kiri Vehera on their annual pilgrimage to this sacred destination. 

The new health drink served chilled to quench the thirst of devotees in the hot and humid climate of southern Sri Lanka proved to be extremely popular. 

The Siddhalepa Group has been actively involved in preserving and protecting the environment in this holy city and its environs. 

Among the group’s environment protection measures is the supply and maintenance of dustbins to minimise the garbage overflow and litter in premises. The Group in recent years has introduced the garbage separation system to this area where separate disposables in different colours are supplied for plastic, polythene, paper etc for the convenience of the devotees and for easier garbage recycling.

Among the other CSR activities of the Group in Kataragama, is the maintenance of the iron fence around the Kataragama temple, the notice boards at the three main entrances to the temple, the 12 concrete benches, the signposts and lamp posts in the area. 

At the Dalada Esala Perehera this year the Group provided first aid services with medical officers, officers from government agencies and Siddhalepa staff in attendance. The crowds who thronged the streets of Kandy to witness this annual pageant received water, asamodagam and siddhalepa balm from the teams of first aid workers who were on the streets for hours before the Perehera commenced.  

Providing and maintenance of waste bins at religious sites to keep the premises clean is another key activity initiated and continued by the Siddhalepa Group. About 40 waste bins were donated to the Getabenewa Dewale in the Matara district, 35 dustbins to Saman Devale in Ratnapura and 20 dustbins to the Seenigama Devale in Hikkaduwa. 

This is the 50th year the company has been associated with religious activities at the Seenigama Devale Festival, where the Ransivigaya was donated by the Group for all four days of the Perehera. The company also sponsored a commemorative book titled ‘Desha Devol Surinde’ for the Devale’s 50th anniversary.

Protecting the environment and educating and encouraging the younger generation on the importance of saving our environment is one of the key focuses in the Group’s CSR initiatives. Activities of the Group encompass important and popular places of worship of all religious disciplines, national festivals and cultural events.