Housing structures near the historic pillars of ‘Rani Uasa’ at Sishupalgarh. Picture by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, Sept. 5: Encroachment is posing a serious threat to the historic ruins at Sisupalgarh, a site protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

Archaeologists feel it would be difficult to reclaim the historic site from encroachers unless authorities take steps and cracks the whip on real estate developers.

“Hundreds of houses have come up in the area in the last 10-15 years. We have protested against it and even filed FIRs but there is little awareness among the people about protected sites. We are helpless,” said A.K. Patel, superintending archaeologist of the Orissa circle, of the ASI.

Just 50 metres away from the ‘Rani Uasa’ (Queen’s Palace), which is a part of the site, stands a stone boundary wall. Houses have come up within 100 metres of the site, which speaks of the glory of King Kharavela’s Kalinga Nagar as described in the inscriptions near the Khandagiri-Udayagiri caves.

Emphasising on the need to reclaim encroached land, Patel said though the area was not included by the Bhubaneswar Development Authority in its plan, local panchayats and block offices granted construction permission near the site. He wondered how revenue officials grant permission for such activity though they were aware of the site’s importance.

“Since only cultivation is allowed near the site, the authorities must find out how agricultural land has been converted into homestead land. The authorities have assured us that they would take action after the area comes under the BDA,” said Patel.

Spread over an area of 562 acres, Sisupalgarh is full of historic materials which need to be excavated.

“It’s a rare monument and we have requested the state government to acquire the land so that the site can be protected and the entire area used for scientific study,” said Patel.

He added that the ASI local office had submitted a proposal for acquiring the land and starting excavation.

The encroachers, however, remain completely unmoved by the concerns of the ASI. “How can more than 500 houses be built here if construction activity is illegal in the area? If the area is protected then revenue officials should have raised objections during registration of land,” asked an owner of a house near ‘Rani Uasa’ on conditions of anonymity.

He said there was no signboard to inform people about the importance of the site.

The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (Amendment and Validation) Act 2010, states that construction within 100 metres of the prohibited area and 300 metres of regulated area of the site is punishable.