VISAKHAPATNAM: After Buddhist devotees, heritage lovers are finding fault with the controversial land allotment to Film Nagar Cultural Centre (FNCC) on Thotlakonda. They are saying the state government, instead of protecting ancient sites that are over 2,500 years old, is now aiding to destroy them. Amid the controversy, Archeology department officials said the entire hill is not a protected site, but only 128 acres of site having the Buddhist complex is considered a ‘protected and prohibited’ site and any activity could be taken up 400 m beyond the buffer zone.
“The hill was surveyed five years ago and around 128 acres was notified as the protected site, due to the presence of the Buddhist complex. We have also fenced the entire protected area. We will act upon it when the authorities concerned approach us to obtain a No Objection Certificate (NOC) before the construction of the facility for the plan approval. If the facility comes under 400 m from the 128 acres of protected and fenced site of Buddhist complex, we will not give the NOC. If the facility comes under 300 m, there are certain norms and restrictions on height of the building etc. We will consider all these issues and act on the NOC,” state archeology department assistant director K. Chittibabu said.
The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (Intach) has now decided to visit Thotlakonda and survey the distance between the Buddhist complex and the land allotted for FNCC. “It looks like the Archeology department is fortifying to facilitate an activity that is not related to heritage or archeology on Thotlakonda. The allotment is against the archeology Act, heritage and sanctity point of view. What is the need for doing a re-survey, if it was done by the Archeology department as per their claims and when a GO of 1978 is existent? A site, which has withstood more than 2,000 years, can’t be desecrated for such an activity that is not even in the interest of the public,” said Intach member Rani Sarma.
Intach Vizag convener P.V. Prasad said their members would visit Thotlakonda on Thursday to survey the land. Another Intach member, Edward Paul, said they were also contemplating writing to the district collector on the land allotment.
