Pillaging going on in the me of conservation of stone door frame at Da Parbatia

From a Correspondent

Tezpur, Oct 29: Da-Parbatia is a small village very close to west Tezpur in Sonitpur district and in the village there are significant architectural remnts of an ancient temple of the sixth century overlying the ruins of another Shiva temple built of bricks during the Ahom period. Archaeological excavations done here in 1924 have unearthed a sixth century antiquity in the form of a stone door frame with extensive carvings. This complex is under the jurisdiction of the Archaeological Survey of India and its importance and notability is recorded under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act 1958. But the department concerned seems to be neglecting its conservation in an appropriate manner, resulting in pillaging in the me of conservation of the stone door frame at Da Parbatia following which, local people of the greater area and various organizations of Tezpur have strongly reacted against the alleged laxity on the part of the department concerned. 

According to the sources, local people have shown their dissatisfaction over the haphazard works being carried out. They further alleged that in the me of conservation of the archaeological monuments, including the stone door frame at Da Parbatia, major fincial anomaly had taken place. In order to draw attention of the higher authority of the department and the Archaeological Survey of India, local people and various organizations of Tezpur forwarded a written complaint to the higher authority of the archaeological department as well as the district administration, MP and MLA for their intervention, sources said.

Local people alleged in the complaint that Md. Nur Islam, introducing himself as an officer of the department concerned, was carrying out corruption in full scale in the archaeological conservation project at Da Parbatia and harassing the poor workers engaged in the conservation works and looting the hard-earned money of the poor. The malicious officer also grabbed the ATM cards of the poor workers and carried out pillaging. When people quizzed the officer about possessing illegally the ATM cards, he returned them the same and threatened the workers of sacking them. The officer brought two workers from Biswath Ghat and carried out works of conservation and maintence of the archeological place at his own will, which raised suspicion among the local people of the area.

Although following the grievances of the people, the department concerned had carried out investigation in accordance to the regulation of the department, instead of visiting the place in question, they moved to the office of the department located at Bamuni Hill and after staying for some days there, they just concluded their investigation by making some ordiry queries to the labourers engaged for excavation at the stone door frame conservation area, alleged the local people.

Tezpur is a town of magnificent scenic beauty and outstanding archaeological ruins. Any mismagement and laxity on the part of any department or authority to preserve the glory and history of the town becomes a sentimental issue for the people. The government ought to have a proper mechanism to preserve the glory of the region.

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