SAMBALPUR: The house of doyen of Assamese literature Lakshminath Bezbaroa, which has been acquired by the district administration for construction of approach road to the second bridge over Mahanadi river and development of rotary junction at Nelson Mandela Chowk in the city, will not be demolished. Informing this, Collector Samarth Verma said the original structure will in no way be damaged in developing the approach road and utmost care will be taken to protect the heritage building.
Sources said Bezbaroa’s house over 2.72 acres of land was acquired to pave the way for construction of approach road and rotary junction at Nelson Mandela Chowk. As per the original plan, two houses of Bezbaroa, including his residence and office near Nelson Mandela Chowk, were supposed to be demolished for development of the rotary junction.
Convenor of Lakshminath Bezbaroa Smruti Committee Deepak Panda said people of Sambalpur take pride that Bezbaroa, one of the greatest litterateurs of Assam, stayed here for 20 years from 1917 to 1937. The building should not be demolished and it should be conserved and developed as ‘Bezbaroa Smruti Bhawan’, he added.
Bezbaroa had constructed the house in 1924 while he was working with a timber company, BIRD, in Sambalpur. During his two-decade stay, Bezbaroa had penned several literary works. The lifestyle and surroundings of Sambalpur had inspired him which can be found in his works. Even he was nominated to Sambalpur Municipal Council for two terms as council member. Bezbaroa died in 1938 while he was in his daughter’s house in Dibrugarh. He was supposed to come back to his house in Sambalpur from Dibrugarh.
After the proposed move of the State Government to demolish the house, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal took up the matter with his counterpart Naveen Patnaik. Subsequently, the Chief Minister directed that the house should be conserved. Assam Cultural Affairs Minister Naba Kumar Doley and his press advisor Hrishikesh Goswami will reach Sambalpur on Sunday and will take up the issue with the district administration.