Though the prime works of the Forest Department is to preserve plants, wildlife and also undertaking afforestation, but in Sambalpur it has gone a step ahead. The Hirakud Wildlife Division (HWD) is now busy in making the people of the country aware of the freedom fighters of the land. And the HWD, at the first step, is developing a Veer Surendra Sai Memorial at Barabakhara on the outskirts of Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary of the division close to the Hirakud dam reservoir.
“The pictorial representations of the major incidents connected to life and struggle of Surendra Sai and his associates will find a place in the memorial. At the same time, the events will be depicted through sculptures here,” informed DFO (WL) Anshu Prangya Das.
Local artists and sculptors will be roped in so that they would also be encouraged, she added.
During the freedom struggle in the country, the Debrigarh Sanctuary played a very vital role under the leadership of Sai from 1830 to 1860. The associates of Sai were taking shelter in Barbakhara treated to be the safest place for the freedom fighters from where they were working out their plans. To stay secretly and safely, they built hill forts with stone and mud on the top of the Debrigarh hill in and around the sanctuary.
"Because of the historic association of the legendary freedom fighter with Debrigarh, the residents adjacent to it have a unique devotion and respect for him as of now. And to encourage them further to conserve the forest and wildlife and to make the new generation aware of the contribution of Sai and his friends’ contributions, we have planned to come up with this innovative memorial that will serve multiple purposes," Das added.