A high profile team of archeological experts, representatives of people and representatives of industries and district administration paid a joint visit to the historic Potagada Fort at Ganjam on Thursday to oversee the ongoing renovation and chemical conservation work.
The Potagarh Fort, a 350-year-old heritage site, is all set to get a facelift as the State Government had decided to make it a major tourist destination. The fort, which was built in 1768 as a star-shaped fort, is surrounded by a wide and deep moat. It's strongly built earthen rampart is about 15-feet-high, 92-metre-long and 19-metre-wide. The fort was built underground and one could not see it from a distance. Within the fort, there are office buildings, magazine, artillery, armoury, store, custom houses etc. It may be recalled that the destructive flood of river Rushikulya in 1990 had caused considerable damage to this historic fort.
According to information, the Government has spent about Rs 1 crore to protect the historic monument from the fury of the river Rushikulya and renovating the old structure of the fort. However, the renovation works have been suspended reportedly due to the threat of rowdy and antisocial elements.
After ASI Superintendent Sanghamitra Satapathy and INTACH Director Mallika Mitra brought to the notice of the district administration about the forceful stoppage of the ongoing renovation work by some rowdy and antisocial entities, the aforesaid team paid the joint visit to the renovation site on Thursday.
Ganjam SP Asish Kumart Singh directed his subordinates to post an ASI and some Constables there for smooth conduct of the ongoing renovation work. Anyone who obstructs the renovation work would be dealt stringently according to law, said Singh.
Representatives of the Grasim Chemical limited, Ganjam assured to erect a gate before the Moat as well as Hi-max light and a few toilets with drinking water facilities, sources said.
When contacted, State Planning Board Member Rama Chandra Panda, on whose personal initiation renovation work was undertaken, said that Potagada has abundant tourist potential and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is keen to develop it as a center of tourism at par excellence with any national tourist site, which would eventually generate employment and boost economy of Ganjam district. During Panda’s tenure as Assembly Deputy Speaker, renovation works had been undertaken.
Among others, INTACH Director Mallika Mitra, ASI Superintendent Sanghamitra Satapathy, Ganjam ADM KK Sahu, Assistant Engineer (Archeology) Saroj Kumar Nanda, PWD Executive Engineer Abanikanta Sahu, Chief HR of Grasim Industries KG Ganerwal and Senior VP AK Singh, PRO Pramod Kumar Panda, PWD SDO Narayan Padhi, and Ganjam PS IIC Anil Mohanty were present.
