Cuttack: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has declined to clear the Odisha govt’s proposal to upgrade sports infrastructure at Satyabrata Stadium inside the protected Barabati Fort area in Cuttack, telling the Odisha high court that the proposed works would violate the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act, 1958.The development surfaced on July 9 when a division bench of Justices K R Mohapatra and V Narasingh resumed hearing a PIL on the maintenance and upgradation of facilities at the stadium complex. After taking on record an affidavit filed by the ASI, the bench posted the matter to Aug 20 for further consideration.The ASI’s stand comes despite the high court’s June 25 observation expressing hope that the central agency would accord the necessary approval in public interest after the state’s sports and youth services department informed the court that it was ready to undertake the development work once the required no-objection certificate was granted by ASI.In an affidavit, Dr Milan Kumar Chauley, superintending archaeologist of ASI’s Puri circle, said he sought guidance from the Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India on June 2 pursuant to the court proceedings. The response, received on July 8, conveyed that the proposal could not be approved as the ASI was bound to enforce the provisions of the AMASR Act.The communication from the director (Monuments-II), annexed to the affidavit, noted that the state govt’s proposal included construction of a boxing room, wrestling room, MS grill fencing, players’ changing room and toilets, players’ sitting area, yoga shed and a retaining wall. Since these works would involve excavation, brick masonry and RCC construction, they would amount to fresh construction and alter the character of the protected monument.“The Archaeological Survey of India is mandated to implement the provisions of the AMASR Act, 1958, and the rules framed thereunder. Therefore, allowing such intervention will be in contravention of the Act,” the communication stated.The ASI also relied on a March 7, 2003, Odisha high court order in an earlier PIL, which prohibited new construction on the Barabati Fort premises. The high court then also ordered removal of all the structures and buildings not required for preservation of the monument, Barabati Fort.According to records, though the fort was declared a protected site in 1915, the ASI formally asserted control over the area only in 1989 during Cuttack’s millennium celebrations, by which time more than half of the notified 100-acre protected zone had already been encroached upon by govt constructions.As part of its intensified drive to reclaim the fort premises in 2005, the ASI took over portions of Satyabrata Stadium, which had been developed under the sports and youth affairs department after formation of the Odisha Council of Sports in 1957. While the ASI initially proposed demolition of parts of the sports complex to create gardens and avenues within the heritage zone, it later allowed sporting activities to continue in 2007 following opposition from sportspersons and allied organisations.
