Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi has lamented over the neglect shown to the development of the Dhauli Stupa despite grant of enough funds and urged CM Naveen Patnaik for preparation of a comprehensive development plan (CDP) for the popular tourist spot. She had visited the tourist spot on the invitation of the Kalinga Nippon Buddha Sangha on November 15.
“To my utter dismay, I found one of the top tourist attractions of the State languishing for want of proper maintenance and for lack of implementation of a holistic development plan,” she said in the letter.“I recollect that in 2005 you had taken the initiative to invite the architectural firm, Karan Grover & Associates, for preparation of a comprehensive development plan (CDP) for Dhauli.
On the basis of the plan, the Union Ministry of Tourism had sanctioned Rs 5 crore under its ‘Destination Development Scheme’ for Dhauli. As per the information received by me, a large portion of this amount was misappropriated and a portion was diverted for activities other than the components for which funds had been released,” Sarangi mentioned in the letter.
“If you find time to visit Dhauli, you will be saddened to see that additional funds from the Central Government funds as well as the State Plan have not been utilised gainfully and Dhauli today has no sign of any worthwhile development.
In fact, the dome of the Stupa has developed visible cracks and is crying for immediate attention,” she lamented.
