NMA Bylaws: Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi Shoots 5 Questions To Odisha Govt

Bhubaneswar: Trolled for her silence on the issue of NMA bylaws while she was in New Delhi, Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi has posed five questions to the state government.

1. Why was ASI not involved at the stage of carrying out demolition around important monuments filled with heritage structure?

Why were ASP’s letters dated June 27, 2018, March 13, 2018, September 6, 2018, September 30, 2019, October 21, 2019, November 28, 2019, December 15, 2019 not responded to?

Even the show cause notices dated  October 10, 2019, and January 19, 2021, were not replied to by the state government. All these letters had been written by the ASI to the state government. Is there anything illegal in the ASI show-cause notice? If there has not been any violation of the extant law, then why a reply is not being furnished?

2. The DG, ASI had met the senior officials of the state government on December 22, 2019, and had requested to share the architectural plan and detailed project report (DPR) so that NMA could consider issuance of NOC.

Will the state government explain why the architectural plan and DPR was not shared and what is the reason for secretively preparing the development plan without involving the representatives like the local Member of Parliament?

Till date, the government has not shared its final development plan surrounding the Puri temple and Lingaraj temple with people of Odisha! What is the big veil of secrecy in revealing the development plan?

3. Why is the state government raising a hue and cry about the draft NMA bylaws without giving its suggestions and objections to such draft publication which have provided 30 days notice period for such objections?

The restrictions relating to 100 metres of prohibited area and another 200 metres of regulated area are there in the Act and people are being misguided by being given an impression as if bylaws will create hindrance.

What is the reason for deliberately misleading the people? Is it intended to cover up illegalities committed during demolition and violating the norms in extremely dense heritage areas?

4. Will the state government clarify which architectural firms have been engaged to draw up the plans for extremely important heritage structures like Jagannath Temple, Puri, and Lingaraj Temple, Bhubaneswar?

Will the state government clarify whether such firms had the eligibility, track record and prior experience in handling heritage projects?

Will the state government clarify what is the role of M/s Archohm Architectural Firm, Noida and M/s Bhumiputra Architectural Firm, Bengaluru in doing the architectural plan for extremely sensitive heritage projects in Odisha? Who is paying the consultancy fees to these firms and who is availing their services?

5. Will the state government clarify whether a detailed mapping of important heritage structure like Uttar Parshwa Matha, Dakshin Parshwa Matha, Emar Matha, Raghunandan Library were done before razing them to ground? Will it clarify whether all the norms relating to demolition and destruction of heritage structures were followed before doing it?

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