Mysterious helicopter at Rideegama

Is the helicopter hovering over Raja Maha Vihara which contains antiquities ...
searching for treasure or graphite?

    A helicopter with a gadget similar to a camera fitted to a mesh was seen during the whole of last week hovering in the sky over Sagala Raja Maha Vihara of Rambadagalla which temple is supposed to contain historical antiquities. This has aroused the suspicion of people in the Rideegama Dodamgaslanda area.

   Though Thilakavansha thero,chief incumbent of Raja Maha Vihara has taken steps to make a complaint about this to the police, upto now the true situation relating to the incident has been concealed.

   It is the opinion of some that this helicopter is being used by someone with the idea of surveying treasures which are suspected of being hidden in the sacred land of Sirisagala belonging to 1st century B.C. Even before this, 11 caves (drip stones) and 8 inscriptions had been uncovered in this sacred location.

  A helicopter with a type of gadget attached to an instrument attached to an instrument resembling a camera with a large mesh connected to a long wire had been moving around targeting the vihara area. As a result of the complaint made in this connection, officers of Rideegama police had arrived at the scene and conducted investigations; but had failed to uncover any information.

  The chief incumbent of the vihara has said that he had not been informed that this procedure is something that is conducted by any institution connected to the government or the private sector. Whatever it is, it has now been possible to find out further information regarding this helicopter. When inquiring about the helicopter it was revealed that the instrument concerned is something that is erected in a farmland in Melsiripura area. 

  The circular instrument which is seen in miniature form at a distant from the sky is about 50 feet in diameter. It has another instrument fitted exactly at its centre. It was reported that 2 African nationals are found there with these instruments while 2 personnel from the Ratmalana Senok airline services function as the pilots of this helicopter. When inquiries were made from them this is what they had to say: 
                                                    "It is an Australian company that is hovering like this in the skies with an instrument attached on invitation by the government for the purpose of preparing a map of how  underground mineral deposits and plumbago are located. Because this is the first time that such a thing is seen in Sri Lanka,it has become somewhat of a curiosity to the public and they say various things ... that someone is searching for treasures ... hovering over temples. That is not what it is. We have issued instructions not to fly over temples, viharas etc.

                                                      For the observation we utilise G.P.S. technology  The data collected are sent immediately to the Australian company. Finally, they draw the map and present it to the government. Only our company possesses airlines which could transport instruments like this. That is why we volunteered to come forward.

                                                      This is about 600 kgs in weight. If the weather is conducive, data about subterannean  graphite deposits is collected after hovering in the skies for about 2 hours a day. For this purpose, permission has already been obtained from the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau, the Civil Aviation Authority and the Air Force".

    However, still neither the chief incumbent of Rideegama Vihara nor the police have been made aware about the truth regarding this information leaving the suspicions still intact in relating to this issue.

Narration -- Rideegama Walimuniaarachchi