SAMBALPUR: The Ramsagar Boating Club under Sambalpur Municipal Corporation (SMC) has been lying neglected due to lack of attention by the civic authorities.
The neglected Ramsagar tank, spread over 10 acres, was renovated and developed into a boating club by the then Sambalpur Municipality and dedicated to the public way back on July 17, 2003.
Developed with the MPLAD fund of former Rajya Sabha member Sanatan Bisi at the initiative of the then Collector, Santosh Sarangi, the boating club was a recreation site for locals. Things went on smoothly for about five years and 15 paddle boats were deployed to provide boating facilities to the visitors.
Today, the boating club wears a deserted look. Water body has not been cleaned and the boats are lying defunct.
In a bid to renovate the Ramsagar Boating Club, the State Housing and Urban Development department had sanctioned `25 lakh in 2013. However, the funds could not be utilised by the Municipal authorities, who cited that the money was insufficient to carry out renovation work.
As the situation stands today, garbage is dumped all along the boundary of the tank and more than anything else, cleaning the tank and water has become important, at least to save the traditional water harvesting structure.
SMC Municipal Engineer Basanta Kumar Padhy said the city has been included under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) and a Detailed Project Report (DPR) with an estimated cost of `1.35 crore has already been sent to the Centre for renovation of Ramsagar boating club under AMRUT. It has been proposed in the DPR to desilt the water body along with construction of pathways around the tank and instal decorative lights and playing equipment for children on the boating club premises. He is hopeful that the proposal will be approved.