In order to renovate and protect the heritage property of Assamese writer Sahityarthi Lakshminath Bezbaruah at Sambalpur, the Government of Assam has agreed to bear the entire cost of the project while releasing Rs 50 lakh as the first instalment.
The Bezbaruah Kothi, now a dilapidated house on the banks of river Mahanadi in Sambalpur city where Bezbaruah had stayed from 1917 to 1932, needs total repair and maintenance.
Assam Culture Affairs Secretary Preetom Saikia has informed the Odisha Department of Culture about the latest decision of the Assam Government t hat it will bear the entire cost of renovation of the property.
Notably, when the Sambalpur district administration had made a move to demolish the property to allow a new road in the area, a hue and cry was raised by the Sahityarthi Lakshminath Bezbaruah Smriti Raksha Samiti and other cultural organisations.
Members of the Samiti in a delegation met Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and the State Government decided to preserve the property. Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal talked to Patnaik and appreciated the Odisha Government’s decision.
Patnaik has asked the INTACH to undertake the preservation assignment, to which the latter has agreed. The INTACH would come up with a detailed project report (DPR) for the purpose.
