CDF personnel say that 36 of them are are sent to sweep the park twice a day and once they are brought in for this 'special duty', they are made to continue it for a month at a stretch.

As batta for the job, they are paid Rs. 350 a day, but only Rs. 100 is added to their salary, with the balance Rs. 250 going to pay for their transport.

The CDF Department pays that money for the bus, said to be owned by its additional director general, that transports the personnel between the park and the Wennawatta barracks.

The distance between the two points is 23 kilometres and the Rs. 250 charge is grossly unfair, they say.

The barracks has minimum facilities too, reports add.