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LMC sanctions ₹47 crore for Lakshman statue project in Lucknow
The civic body leaders are upset over delay in granting NOC for the project by irrigation dept, which however claims the statue’s proposed spot is located in flood zone
The executive committee of the Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC), met on Sunday and cleared a budget of ₹47.11 crore for the 111 ft Lakshman statue project in Lucknow while expressing its displeasure over the irrigation department’s delay in granting NOC for the project.
Hindus believe Lord Lakshman was the younger brother of Lord Rama.
Of the total amount, ₹15.20 crore is to be spent on the statue while ₹29.21 crore are to be used to develop the place around the statue, pedestal on which the statue would be mounted and a museum, LMC officials said.
The rest of the amount is to be spent on developing a garden and other beautification work around the statue, that has been proposed on the banks of the Gomti river, officials said.
The LMC had sought the NOC from the irrigation department, through a letter on June 6. However, the NOC has been held up as the department stated that the place where the LMC wanted the statue installed was a flood zone.
Some officials claimed that the irrigation department official who delayed the NOC was known to create hurdles in important projects.
On Sunday, LMC’s executive committee expressed their anger over the working of irrigation department officials.
The executive committee of LMC has now entrusted the Lucknow mayor Sanyukta Bhatia to take up the issue of delay in the project with the chief minister Yogi Adityanath, an LMC official said.
LMC chief engineer, Mahesh Varma, said, “On June 6, a letter was sent to the irrigation department for its NOC but even after several months there has not been any response.”
Guru Govind Singh ward corporator, Shravan Nayak, who is also an LMC executive committee member said, “The same irrigation department, (who delayed the NOC) never had the courage to oppose development of Samtamoolak crossing and Gomti river front but has trouble with the statue of Lord Lakshaman.”
Executive engineer, irrigation department, Satypriya said, “The decision is to be taken at the higher level. All I can say is that presently the NOC is not given to LMC for installation of Lord Laskhman statue. As per a mandate of February 3, 1992, the place where the river banks and marginal embankments are constructed, the distance between the two embankments is marked as flood zone and any construction is prohibited in these areas.”
The LMC had earlier approved the installation of the statue of Lord Lakshman near Jhulelal Vatika on the banks of the Gomti. It had also proposed to install the statue in front of Lakshman Tila but this proposal was shelved owing to objections by few Muslim corporators, due to presence of Teele Wali Masjid there.
