Internal sources in the Department of Archaeology reveal that two individuals accused of destroying antiquities and abusing their duties have been appointed to cover the duties of Assistant Directors of the Department of Archaeology in Kandy and Polonnaruwa.
One officer has also been accused of accepting bribes from stone quarries to release them for illegal quarrying of archaeological sites, embezzling the money without paying for the vehicles used for Dighavapi Stupa and receiving punishment for frequent indiscipline acts. It is said that internal disciplinary investigations have also been conducted.
The other officer was suspended from work after being given a written notice by the former Director General of Archaeology barring him from visiting any archaeological site. This person was among the notorious officials accused of accepting bribes to transfer the Paludeniya archaeological site, a huge archaeological site with a legend related to the Goddess Sugala, to a granite quarry.
Similarly, sources at the Archaeology Department say that one of the officials who has been posted to Polonnaruwa was once transferred from Ampara to Polonnaruwa due to her extremely corrupt and irresponsible behavior.
It is learnt that this official is taking unjust and malicious revenge on the lower-ranking employees of the Department of Archaeology who have exposed her corrupt practices, and that these officials have informed the Director General of Archaeology and the Ministry in writing about this oppressive behavior.
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