Historic cemetery in Nazira gets Rs 5 lakh for facelift
The colonial-era cemetery is home to 60 graves of British officials.
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Nazira, Dec 25: The British-era cemetery at Nazira is going to get a facelift soon, with the Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly and local MLA Debabrata Saikia showing a keen interest in the project.
A six-member committee, led by the Nazira Co-District Commissioner, has been formed on recommendation of the Nazira MLA to execute the scheme, namely, Development of British Period Cemetery at Nazira. Saikia has earmarked Rs 5 lakh under the MLA Local Area Development (MLALAD) fund for conservation of the cemetery located on the premises of the headquarters of ONGC Assam Asset, Nazira.
Debabrata Saikia, Nazira Co-District Commissioner Kanika and officials of the Sivasagar zonal office of the State Directorate of Archaeology inspected the cemetery recently. The Nazira MLA has already contacted the executive engineer, PWD (Building), Sivasagar for technical sanction for the scheme.
Considering the fact that the cemetery has been lying in a state of neglect for a very long period of time, Saikia had on November 26, 2024 written a letter to the Sivasagar zonal office of the State Directorate of Archaeology wishing to know about the status of the graveyard. Accordingly, a team of the State Directorate of Archaeology inspected the cemetery on December 4, 2024. In his detailed report to the MLA, the senior conservation officer of the Archaeology Department stated that there are 60 graves in the cemetery, mostly those of British engineers, administrators, workers and their families who were associated with the oil industry and had different administrative roles in Assam during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
"Regular upkeep of the cemetery is essential to prevent erosion of the gravestones and ensure the site remains accessible. Some gravestones may suffer from weathering, making inscriptions difficult to read. Lack of awareness about the site's historical importance could threaten its preservation," the report said.
The Sivasagar zonal office of the State archaeology department has also recommended several measures for conservation of the cemetery.
Moreover, the British Association for Cemeteries in South Asia (BACSA) has already expressed its willingness to support conservation of the colonial graveyard at Nazira.