The Ven. Thera had mentioned these wasps had been protecting Sigiriya from the earliest times. Hence steps should be taken to regulate the number of visitors arriving at the ‘wind-gap area’ at a given time in order to minimise the attacks.

The minimum number of visitors should be allowed to proceed further up from this point, and in this way attack by wasps could be avoided and also it would create a self discipline among the visitors, he said.

He had closely observed the past instances of wasp attacks, and attributed them to the unruly behaviour of the visitors who had thronged the area during the Wesak, Poson and other holiday seasons. Gathering in large numbers at a very small open area creating congestion and making loud noises had disturbed the wasps.

The heat and the windy atmosphere had also created a situation for these wasps to swarm in large numbers for safety and ends up attacking the visitors.

The Ven. Thera had also suggested that the decision to drive away the wasps should be given a second thought and instead try out the methods proposed by him.

Posters, hoardings should be placed at vantage points to educate the visitors and hand bills with instructions should be handed over to these visitors.

He also commented that the senior officers of the Cultural Fund were only bent on earning money and caused this calamity.

He appreciated the efforts of the Minister in charge of the Wild Life, S. M. Chandrasena for mediating in safeguarding the endemic flora and fauna of the area.

Source: Daily Mirror - Sri Lanka