The Hindu 24.01.2011
Sewage treatment plant runs into rough weather
ASI finds that the plant comes under prohibited area
A sewage treatment plant proposed by Orissa Water Supply and
Sewerage Board near archaeologically important Sisupalgarh on the
outskirt of the capital city seems to have run into rough weather.
The Archaeological Survey of India, Bhubaneswar Circle, found after
inspection that the proposed sewage treatment plant and its ancillary
units were coming under the prohibited area.
“Proposed construction falls within the prohibited area and
regulated area of ASI monuments for which the permission is required
under Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (Amendment
and Validation) Act 2010,” ASI superintending Archaeologist A. K. Patel
said in his letter addressed to member-secretary of OWS&SB.
Mr. Patel asked the board to send a complete proposal to a competent
authority in view of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and
Remains (Amendment and Validation) Act 2010 before taking up
construction activities.
When contacted Orissa Water Supply and Sewerage Board member
secretary Dillip Padhi said the board had sought land from the State
government and it would go ahead with the project once the land was
handed over to it. He, however, refused to comment on the project being
positioned in the proximity of a prohibited zone.
Report
In a report submitted to Housing and Urban Development Secretary
earlier, Mr. Padhi, however, said the proposed sewage treatment plant at
village Basuaghai was over an area of 23.882 acres which was far away
from the prohibited or restricted zone of Sisupalgarh, Megheswar temple
and Brahmeswar temple. “The site is approximately one km from the
Sisupalgarh and Megheswar temple.”
The Orissa Water Supply and Sewerage Board said the proposed sewage
treatment plant would in no way affect the heritage site. With the board
and Archaeological Survey of India holding different views on location
of sewage treatment plant, activists fighting for preserving ancient
monuments demanded review of the project.
Sisupalgarh is known as an ancient city situated on the outskirts of
Bhubaneswar. Researchers during recent excavation have come across a
number of artefacts and structures that throw light on the existence of a
flourishing urban life during the pre-historic period.
