Odisha government ignorant about law on protection of heritage sites: BJP MP

Aparajita Sarangi also called the ruling BJD’s opposition to the draft by-law on Puri’s Sri Jagannath temple and other temples in Bhubaneswar politically motivated

Published on: Feb 16, 2021, 12:38:55 IST

By Debabrata Mohanty

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Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) parliamentarian Aparajita Sarangi has slammed the Odisha government for being ignorant about the central law on the protection of heritage sites and called the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD)’s opposition to the draft by-law on Puri’s Sri Jagannath temple and other temples in Bhubaneswar politically motivated.

“The chief secretary and BJD leaders including the chief minister [Naveen Patnaik] have written to the culture ministry demanding the withdrawal of the draft by-law on the Ananta Basudeva Temple in Bhubaneswar. [The] withdrawal...does not mean anything as any construction within a 100-metre radius of the protected monument is barred under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (Amendment and Validation) Act, 2010. It is a central Act passed by Parliament and overrides everything else. The Act cannot be withdrawn,” said Sarangi on Monday.

Sarangi added the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (Framing of Heritage By-laws and other functions of the Competent Authority) Rules, 2011, have also set the necessary guidelines.

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She said the Odisha’s culture director was part of the draft by-law preparation. Sarangi added it is possible that the Odisha government was unaware of the same. “Governance is a serious matter. There should be an application of mind, reading of the laws and understanding their implications. Immaturity in governance cannot be accepted by the people of Odisha.”

Sarangi’s comments came a week after the Union culture ministry withdrew the draft heritage by-law for Puri’s Shri Jagannath Temple issued by the National Monuments Authority. Last month, the authority had come out with the draft for the 12th-century temple proposing the 100-metre area around it as a prohibited area under Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (Amendment and Validation) Act, 2010. A further 200-metre area was proposed as a regulated area where constructions would need approval.

BJD and BJP parliament members met union culture minister Prahlad Singh Patel and sought the withdrawal of the draft by-law on Sri Jagannath temple. Patel later said the draft was issued without the knowledge of the chairman of the National Monuments Authority (NMA). The NMA would now issue a revised draft by-law for the Jagannath Temple.

The draft by-law for the Ananta Basudeva Temple threatens to spoil the state government’s plans for the beautification of the 11th-century Lingaraj temple located within 100 metres of the former. The state government plans to build a heritage complex, revive Bindu Sagar tank, develop a parking space and heritage interpretation centre.

On Monday, chief secretary Suresh Chandra Mahapatra wrote to the Union culture secretary Raghvendra Singh demanding the withdrawal of by-law for Ananta Basudev and Brahmeswar temples in Bhubaneswar saying it has led to discontentment.

“This kind of atmosphere in temples is bound to hurt the religious sentiments of lakhs of devotees. The largest congregation of devotees in Ekamra Kshetra will happen on March 11 on the occasion of Maha Shivratri festival. It is important to have a peaceful atmosphere and full co-operation of sevayats for conducting this Annual Maha Shivratri festival in which lakhs of devotees from all over the state participate,” Mahapatra wrote.

Sarangi said the apprehensions that development works near the monuments will be affected were misplaced. “The bylaws will prove good for all. They are draft bylaws and not the final.” She cited demolitions around Jagannath temple and Lingaraj temple over the last two years and said the Archaeological Survey of India wrote nine letters to the state government and issued show-cause on the construction around the two temples without its permission. Sarangi added the state government did not reply to any of the letters. She said two firms from Noida and Bangalore have been given the contract for ₹800 crore for beautification plan of the two temples without any clarity on how they were chosen. “The government talks so much on transparency, yet there is no clarity.”

Manas Mangaraj, the media advisor to the Odisha government, said the director of culture was never involved in any of the meetings over the preparation of the draft bylaws.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Debabrata Mohanty
Debabrata Mohanty is a senior assistant editor of Hindustan Times who works as state correspondent from Odisha covering the state's politics, governance, public policy, natural disasters, environment and its society for close to three decades. With his long years of reporting from the state capital of Bhubaneswar, Mohanty has been known as one of the most experienced and credible journalists covering Odisha for the national English dailies. His reporting combines on-ground detail with deep institutional knowledge detailing the state's changing politics, governance issues, administrative reforms and the functioning of its public institutions. He has regularly reported on issues ranging from legislative developments and public policy implementation. Politics is his core areas of expertise as he closely tracks Odisha's political landscape, including the rise and transformation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the two principal political parties in Odisha. His long association with the state's political establishment enables him to write on contemporary developments in a larger political context. Mohanty takes a deep interest in writing human interest stories, environmental issues and documenting the impact of cyclones, floods, heatwaves, and other climate-related events in one of the most disaster-prone states. His coverage extends to public health, governance reforms and stories on accountability of government institutions. Before joining Hindustan Times, Mohanty worked with The Indian Express, Mail Today, and The Telegraph, where he covered at least six general elections and as many assembly elections. In 2007, he was selected for the prestigious Chevening Young Indian Print Journalist Programme at the University of Lincoln, United Kingdom, where he received advanced training in print journalism. In 2009 he won the Press Institute of India-International Committee of Red Cross award on conflict reporting for his on-ground reportage of 2008 Kandhamal riots.Read More

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