Expert committee to identify correct name of national flower

A decision has been taken to appoint an expert committee to identify the correct Sinhala name of the national flower of Sri Lanka.

The decision has been taken since some experts are of the view it should be ‘Mahanel’ while another group is of the view it is ‘Nil Mahanel.’ 

The Department of Communication of Parliament said, the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Environment discussed at length whether the Sinhala name of the national flower of Sri Lanka is ‘Mahanel’ or ‘Nil Mahanel.’
 

During a meeting chaired by Minister of Environment Nasir Ahmed, Senior Professor of the Department of Botany of the University of Peradeniya Deepthi Yakandawala, and Senior Professor of the Faculty of Agriculture and Plantation Management of the University of Wayamba Kapila Yakandawala, delivered a lengthy presentation on the unresolved and controversial issue of what is the national flower of Sri Lanka for many years.

As presented by Professor Yakandawala, the national flower of Sri Lanka was announced on the 26th of February, 1986.

The national flower has been officially declared as the ‘Blue Water Lily’ by a cabinet paper.

(newsradio.lk)