The world heritage peace pagoda at Dhauli is facing a threat to its ecology, thanks to felling of trees and unrestricted shifting of sand from the Daya river, stated local sarpanch Rabi Maharana.
The peace pagoda stands in a lush green periphery upon the Daya river bank. The removal of minerals from the river bed is causing serious threat to the flow of the river, he stated. Sand mining on either side of the river is one of the causes of environmental degradation and also a threat to the biodiversity of the historic site, he said.
Maharana in his letter addressed to Additional Chief Secretary Revenue Dr Taradatt and Tourism and Culture Minister Ashok Panda, urged them to take steps to check further denudation on the Daya bank and illegal sand mining. Maharana also called for step to check criminal activities in and around the peace pagoda site. He said that miscreants are harassing the visitors and stealing their valuables.
When young couples throng the spot, the local miscreants who wait inside bushes, on top of trees and sometimes behind the rocks, pounce upon them. They at times abuse the females, while most often steal cash and jewelleries of the visitors. He urged for strengthening of security measures in the area.