Swaraj Ashram in Cuttack. Picture by Badrika Nath Das

Cuttack, Aug. 14: Swaraj Ashram, which was in the thick of the non-cooperation movement in the 1920s, now stands neglected owing to government apathy.

Although efforts were initiated in 2008 to reshape the ashram into a memorial museum, things have remained the same, as the main building does not have electricity supply for five years now.

“Though the electricity connection has been provided to the subsidiary buildings on the ashram campus, the main building is yet to be provided with power supply,” said officer in-charge of the ashram, Govinda Raul.

However, Raul said many development works, including renovation, flooring and construction of modern toilets, have been over.

“Around 200 photographs of freedom fighters from the state have been put up at Swaraj Ashram. Similarly, efforts will also be initiated towards beautification and we hope that the power supply is restored soon,” he said.

Official sources said the electricity bill arrears of Swaraj Ashram stood at around Rs 90,000.

The government apathy in delaying the restoration of power supply in the ashram has pained the freedom fighters. “The government can easily waive off the electricity arrears. However, till now no concrete measure has been taken to restore power supply in the main building of the ashram,” said Bisweswar Dey, 76, secretary of the State Freedom Fighters’ Samiti.

Swaraj Ashram was once the hub of Indian freedom struggle and the Indian National Congress in Orissa.

Moreover, Mahatma Gandhi, during his first visit to Orissa on March 23, 1921, had stayed at the ashram for two days and later on March 24, 1921, addressed a public meeting on the Kathajodi riverbed.

Gandhi-ji visited Cuttack for the second time on August 19, 1925. During his visit on December 20, 1927, a spinning competition and a small khadi exhibition was organised at the ashram.

On May 16, 1934, Gandhi-ji addressed a meeting in Cuttack.

Banasjyotsna Mohapatra, caretakerof the ashram, said: “At present, we are using electricity from the culture department office on the ashram premises in case of various meetings and other functions.”

The officials said the ashram was declared a protected monument in 1986 and in 1992, the property was vested with the state government, which took physical possession after an eviction operation on May 31, 2004.

Later, keeping in view the long-standing demands of the freedom fighters, the government inaugurated a memorial museum in 2008.

Dey said many noticeable changes in the construction of the building and subsequent renovation, installation of photographs of the freedom fighters had been done.

However, he maintained that more needs to be done in order to preserve the museum. “Steps should be also taken towards all-round development and restoration of power supply at the earliest,” he said.