[Assam] Expert team visits Rang Ghar; to submit report after discussion(THE SENTINEL,18 March 2008)

[Buljit Buragohain]

Expert team visits Rang Ghar; to submit report after discussion
>From our Correspondent
JOYSAGAR, March 17: A team of experts, appointed by the State Government, visited the Rang Ghar yesterday to find out about the cracks appearing at the historic Rang Ghar at Joysagar near Sivasagar, allegedly due to high-intensity seismic survey conducted by the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) in its adjoining areas.
The team also visited the exploration sites and a few houses where cracks have appeared. The expert team included retired head, department of History, Gauhati University, Jogendra Nath Phukan, Director, Archaeological department, Asom, Hemendranath Dutta, Assistant Superintending Engineer, Archaeological Survey of India, D Roy, and Executive Engineer, PWD (Buildings), Alokesh Sarma. Cracks at the 300-year-old monument, the oldest amphitheatre in Asia, was brought to the spotlight last month when local residents raised a hue and cry over the seismic survey conducted by the oil major, which, they alleged has also resulted in cracks in many houses of the area.
Top officials of the ASI, which is responsible for preservation and maintenance of the historical monument, rushed to Sivasagar after reports of the cracks appeared in the media. Speaking to The Sentinel, Sanjay Manjul, Superintending Archeologist, ASI, North-east Zone, said that they are keeping a close watch on the monument after receiving complaints about the cracks.
“We have installed small pieces of glass at the cracks to verify whether the cracks are still widening. Any further widening of the cracks will lead to the breakage of the glass pieces”, he said.
Manjul also said that he has already dispatched letters to the ONGC and the District Administration for initiating steps to stop seismic activities in the area. He also admitted that the ASI could do nothing about the seismic activities since the ONGC surveys are being conducted at about 2 km from the monument.
Under the provisions of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1952 and Rules, 1959, any activity within 300 metre of an ASI-protected monument “is prohibited”, he added.
Local residents have alleged that the ONGC is carrying out the explosions far above the permissible 60-feet limit, for which the overground vibrations are very intense, leading to damages in residential buildings and other structures, including the Rang Ghar.
The team had hands-on experience about the cracks and spoke to the local residents about the cracks appearing at the houses of the area. They also interacted with representatives of various organizations and district administration officials. The team will submit its report after a discussion at Guwahati, sources said.
   
  (THE SENTINEL,18 March 2008)



       
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