Aditya Birla Director to head Ekamra Kshetra heritage project panel

BHUBANESWAR: The State government on Monday announced constitution of a project advisory committee (PAC) for the ambitious Ekamra Kshetra Amenities and Monuments Revival Action Plan (EKAMRA Plan) aimed at development of the heritage zone in Old Town. The PAC will be headed by Santrupt Misra who is the Director (Group Human Resources) and CEO of Carbon Black Business of Aditya Birla Group.“It is a matter of great honour for me to be asked to lead the project advisory committee on the Ekamra project. I thank the Hon’ble Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for reposing his trust in me to lead this historic project”, Misra said.

With Misra as its chairman, the PAC will have 19 members including Work Secretary, RDC, BMC and Endowment Commissioners, Superintending Archaeologist of ASI (Bhubaneswar Circle), Khurda Collector, Culture Director, acclaimed sculptor Sudarshan Sahoo, three sevayats of Lingaraj temple and two persons with experience of conservation of monuments, among others.“Meetings of the PAC will be called at regular intervals to finalise various issues related to development of the EKAMRA Plan area. All plans, projects, interventions and initiatives in the project area will be approved by this committee,” the notification said.

Surprisingly, the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) which had flagged violations in Ekamra Kshetra project in February following demolitions, is not a part of the advisory panel. The INTACH had also submitted 15 suggestions for a heritage sensitive development plan to the Chief Minister who is one of the founding members of the conservation body.State Convenor of INTACH AB Tripathy said that he cannot question the decision of the Odisha government. “But including INTACH would have added much more value to the panel as we have worked extensively on Ekamra Kshetra’s protection”, he said.

The government envisages development of the Ekamra heritage project in 80 acre of land around the Lingaraj temple, which houses several other monuments, heritage structures and holy tanks like Bindu Sagar. The plan will include interventions for conservation and revival of the monuments, development of amenities for devotees and pilgrims, pedestrianization of the project area, and diverting the traffic to the periphery of the Ekamra project area.Ahead of the Odisha government submitting the Ekamra project plan to the DG ASI for approval as per norms, the BMC has already carried out demolition drives in the protected area limits of Lingaraj temple and Odisha Bridge & Construction Corporation Limited is now constructing a road related to the project.