CUTTACK: Dumping of huge quantity of construction and demolition debris in the gadakhai (moat) of historic Barabati Fort created confusion and suspicion in the minds of Cuttack city residents.
Actor turned politician Sritam Das of BJP, who had unsuccessfully contested the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) elections, in a tweet on Sunday, urged the local administration to initiate action and remove the debris else the moat will be buried.
Acting on the complaint, a team of Cantonment police rushed to the spot and detained some vehicles carrying the debris. CMC Mayor Subhas Singh said he was unaware of the matter. He said civic body would seek details on the issue from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Bhubaneswar Circle. “The fort and its moat are protected monuments of the ASI. The civic body has nothing to do with it. We do not know who is dumping the debris in the moat,” Singh said.
Superintending engineer, ASI, Bhubaneswar Circle, Arun Mallick said a temporary road is being constructed by ASI for setting up of a cofferdam for dewatering the moat to facilitate renovation and conservation of its inner wall on the western side. “After the renovation and conservation work is over, the construction and demolition debris will be removed from the moat,” he added.
Locals said the ASI should have informed them before dumping the debris in the moat. “”Had the agency put up an information slab at the work site, the dumping activity would have not created suspicion. It seems there is no coordination or simply a communication gap between ASI and CMC,” they alleged.