Dhenkanal: Most tourists and picnickers on way to Saptasajya don’t know about it and miss the place.
That doesn’t come as a surprise. The small dam with a unique name is hidden from public view, although nestled on the foothills of Saptasajya near Dhenkanal, which draws hordes of picnickers.
Moreover, the state Tourism department hasn’t done anything to tap its tourism potential.
There is a reason why ‘Ghantia’ — meaning hourly in Odia — dam is known by the name among local people.
Fed by natural waterfalls rolling down Saptasajya hills, villagers say the dam is known by the name as it fills up naturally in an hour.
The dam was built 30 years ago to irrigate nearby farms. That objective has been fulfilled but the tourism potential of the place remains untapped.
The dam is popular with local people, who flock to it for picnics. As the water is from natural waterfalls, it has great medicinal value and is used for drinking purposes.
Villagers feel the place should be developed as a tourist attraction. “The state government should pay attention to the place and develop it as a tourist potential. It is now hidden from the view of tourists though not far away from Saptasajya. Water fills up the dam in an hour, thus its name. Tourists can bathe here or organise picnics if it’s developed properly,” said Bramhananda Sahoo from Choudwar.
Manoj Kumar Sahoo agrees. “The place is now hidden and not many people know about it. The government should make it a tourist attraction,” he said.
“The dam was built 30 years ago for irrigation purposes but the place has great tourism potential,” said Dhaneswar Gochi, a local villager.
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