The Sarvoday Mela Committee (SMC), a body of Mahatma Gandhi followers, on Monday protested against construction of a drain by the drainage department in the premises of the Gandhi Smrutipeetha (a Gandhi memorial) on the Puri beach.
SMC secretary Siba Prasad Mishra lodged a complaint with district Collector Arabinda Agarwal alleging that engineers and contractor of the drainage department had illegally demolished a 100-feet boundary wall and uprooted two coconut trees for construction of the drain on Sunday evening.
“It is a sacred place as it had housed ashes of Mahatma Gandhi on February 12 in 1948 before its immersion in the sea. How the department dug a drain in its premises without informing the committee,” asked Mishra.
He said the place has legal documents in its favour. “It is in the Government record as Gandhi Smrutimandir,” he said, adding, “Instead of preserving the memorial, the Government is damaging its boundary wall for building of drain.”
Meanwhile, the Collector said he would discuss the matter with the departmental officials. After studying the design of the drain, he would comment on the issue, he added.
Notably, the 1500-meter-long drain was being constructed to drain out residue water of Puri town during rains. It would be constructed at a cost of Rs 8.3 crore starting from the Digabareni post to the Banki Muhana (downstream) on the beach.