GUWAHATI, Sept 9 � Citizens� First, a forum of residents of Guwahati, has opposed the proposed construction of a ropeway between Guwahati and North Guwahati on the ground that the project involved construction work on the Urvashi river island in gross violation of the provisions of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act.
The Urvashi island has rock carvings of many Hindu gods and goddesses besides inscriptions lying scattered all over the island. In view of the immense archaeological and religion-cultural worth of the relics, the island is protected under the Act, and construction activities are prohibited on it.
Citizens� First, in a memorandum to the State Chief Secretary, has urged the authorities not to allow any activity in violation of the provisions of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act.
It also called for dismantling of the RCC pillars raised on the prohibited area of the Brahmaputra riverside and on the Urvashi island, and for stringent action against all concerned involved in the constructions.
Pointing out that the State Directorate of Archaeology had earlier refused to grant permission to the firm engaged in the ropeway project to construct a temporary support for 15 days to correct the defect of a tilted well on the ground that it violated legal provisions, the citizens� body said that earlier the Tourism Department too had to shift its venue for a project that intended to raise statues on the rocky bed of Urvashi island on similar grounds.
The existence of the archaeological protection Act apart, the State Government, following an expert committee report in 2002, had issued a notification dated December 24, 2004, prohibiting all types of construction in the area between river Brahmaputra and the Mahatma Gandhi Road from Rajbhawan to Kamakhya Hill.
The citizens body questioned why and how in spite of the prohibitions the firm in question, M/s Samir Damodar Ropeway Private Limited was allowed to carry out construction on a plot of land near to the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Kamrup (Metro), Guwahati.