Oct 14, Colombo: Sri Lanka Gem and Jewellery Authority says the government has decided not to auction the gem deposits recently discovered from Chandrika Weva area of Embilipitiya.

A gem deposit was found from the reservoir during excavation of silt from the bottom to expand the capacity of the reservoir.

People flocked to the reservoir bed which was dry at the time for gem mining but the police blocked them.

Gem and Jewellery Authority had earlier decided to auction the gem deposit as blocks but the decision was changed due to environmental concerns.

A spokesman of the authority said that the deposit was too small for auctioning. Also with the beginning of monsoon rains, the government has decided to store water in the tank which is the major water source for the area.