Odisha government meets heritage experts for Ekamra plan

BHUBANESWAR: Facing flak for flouting the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act (or AMASR Act) while executing the Ekamra Kshetra beautification project, the State government on Monday held a meeting with the heritage experts and archaeologists of ASI, Bhubaneswar Circle, officials to seek their recommendations on the issue.

While expressing concern over the demolition drive and land levelling work that was undertaken in the heritage zone using heavy machinery, the participants opined that further works in the area should be carried out in a holistic manner in consultation with experts so that no monument/structure with heritage value is damaged. Besides, steps need to be taken to ensure that unprotected monuments and mutts are not damaged during the Ekamra Kshetra beautification works. Apart from the monuments protected by ASI and State Archaeology, there are 54 unprotected monuments in the area surrounding Lingaraj temple.

Former superintendent of Odisha State Archaeology BK Rath, who attended the meeting, said since the project is being implemented in a heritage zone that was once home to thousands of temples, the agencies should be extremely careful in demolishing the urban structures that have come up around such monuments. “Removing the encroachments is a welcome move but one needs to be careful while doing so because we do not know what lies buried”, he said in the meeting presided by Works department Secretary Dr Krishan Kumar and attended by Odisha Bridge Construction Corporation (OBCC) officials.

Prior to the meeting, the Works Secretary visited the site and went around the ancient structure that was dug out during scientific cleaning by the ASI and assured the latter of all help. All heavy machinery deployed at the site by OBCC have been removed and land levelling work stopped. The Works Secretary said no work will be undertaken by the OBCC or heavy machinery used till the ASI continues its scientific cleaning.

In another development, the ASI on Monday traced the fourth subsidiary shrine of the Sari temple during scientific cleaning of the complex.  

Earlier in the day, a team of BJP leaders including Lekhashree Samantsinghar visited the site and demanded halt to the ongoing work till the entire area surrounding the complex is excavated.

“The scientific cleaning work so far has revealed that there is much heritage buried below the earth. The land levelling and other works at the site should be stopped immediately and the ASI allowed to take up further scientific cleaning and excavation of the area to know what lies beneath”, she said.