The Trincomalee High Court has lifted an interim stay order that had halted conservation work on an ancient Dagoba near the hot water wells in Kanniya, Trincomalee. The decision was made by Judge N.M.M. Abdullah following submissions from the Attorney General’s office.

The stay was initially imposed in response to a petition filed by Ramani Ganesh, owner of a nearby Kovil, who argued that the project involved the construction of a new Dagoba rather than the restoration of an existing structure. However, the court accepted the Attorney General’s argument that the work underway constituted conservation rather than new construction.

State Counsel Kalana Kothalawala, representing the Attorney General and the Archaeology Department, informed the court that the conservation efforts had begun in July 2026, based on an agreement reached between the petitioner and the Archaeology Department in 2021. He contended that incorrect information had been presented in the petition to support the issuance of the stay order.

According to the state counsel’s report submitted to the court, necessary materials such as bricks had already been delivered to the site to facilitate the conservation project. Kothalawala appeared on behalf of key officials, including the Director General of the Archaeology Department, Senrath Wickremeasinghe, Assistant Director Suranga Perera, Trincomalee District Secretary’s representative Administrative Officer N. Thavabalan, and Legal Officer Isuru Kodithuwakku.

The petitioner was represented by senior counsel M.A. Sumanthiran and attorney Shanthin Udaya Kumar. The court’s decision now permits the Archaeology Department to resume its work on preserving the ancient Dagoba, a site of historical significance in the region.