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Artefacts on display at the State Museum in Bhubaneswar. Pictures by Sanjib Mukherjee |
Bhubaneswar, Jan. 11: The State Museum authorities are groping in the dark to help visitors see during power cuts. Literally.
Every day, around 400 tourists from across the country visit the State Museum, which is a treasure trove of ancient relics. But it does not have a generator to meet emergency situations during unscheduled power cuts.
“We are tired of asking for a remedy. No one has listened to us,” said a senior official of the museum.
Superintendent, State Museum Manjushree Samantray said: “We have asked the Central Supply Utility Service Authority (CESU) to install a new transformer that can take the actual power load of the State Museum. Right now, the museum has three phases of power supply.”
Asked why they were not installing a generator, Samantray said: “The file has been processed to acquire a generator. At the time of unscheduled power cuts, tourists have a trying time as they cannot see the displayed antiques.”
Even though nearly one lakh people visit the museum every month and the State Museum earns Rs 4 to Rs 5 lakh a month on an average, the state government hasn’t bothered to install a generator.
In the last four years the State Museum has generated a revenue of Rs 17.67 lakh and 4.40 lakh tourists have visited it during this period. As many as 1.01 lakh tourists visited the museum in 2007-08; 1.08 lakh in 2008-09, 1.22 lakh in 2009-10 and 1.08 lakh in 2010-11. The museum earned Rs 4.11 lakh in 2007-08, Rs 4.30 lakh in 2008-09, Rs 4.86 lakh in 2008-09 and Rs 4.39 lakh in 2009-10.
The absence of a generator also puts at risk priceless collections that the State Museum boasts of. The museum has completed 54 years and has a rich treasure trove of historical items. The security of these priceless collections and visitors can easily be compromised during power cuts.
State culture minister Prafulla Samal said: “We are aware of the situation. We know that tourists are facing a problem while visiting the state museum, particularly during power cuts.” The minister said the department was in touch with the energy department officials for supply of uninterrupted power to the museum. But there was no mention of providing a stand-by generator to meet emergency situations.
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