RANGIYA, Aug 5 � The historic Arimatta rampart (commonly known as Arimatta Garh), constructed by Gour dynasty king Arimatta during 1366-1385 AD near Rangiya, which covers a major portion near Tulsibari area amidst Na-Tola, Tarani etc., is presently lying in a very bad shape with portions of it turning into mini ponds and people resorting to fishing there. The condition is so pathetic that encroachers have already started settling there, besides uprooting the big and valuable trees and digging out earth from the remains of the historic rampart for personal use. The concerned authority seems not to be giving the slightest attention for its protection and preservation as a heritage site.
On August 3 last, a group of AJYCP leaders along with a group of mediapersons visited the rampart site following many complaints received from the local people regarding the gradual degradation of the fort. Local people told this correspondent that till now no official team or officials have visited the site or seem to have taken any step to stop the ongoing menace and to protect the historic rampart. When asked about the pond-like structures on it, they viewed �people nearby come and fish regularly. If we say something they quarrel and even incidents of police cases having been filed have taken place following fishing on the rampart pond.�
The AJYCP Rangiya district committee president Bipul Sarma and AJYCP central committee adviser Jyotirmoy Kalita vehemently flayed the Deptt of Archeology, Govt of Assam for its sheer negligence in protecting and preserving the rampart site. �Our body would initiate early steps in this regard and very soon we will stage protest before the Directorate of Archeology office in Guwahati, besides pressing upon the Assam Tourism Development Corporation authority for doing the needful,� they said adding that the possibility of giving this historic rampart site the status of a heritage site by planting tea plants throughout is one of the best options the authorities have.
Meanwhile, the nearby environment and the serenity around the rampart site is also affected with many brick kilns lying there and polluting the air. It is worth mentioning here that the legendary figure of the locality� Arimatta occupied the then Kamrupa and constructed a temporary capital at �Baidyargarh� near Betna of Rangiya in the present Kamrup which is also known as Arimatta Garh and is eight kilometres long. Many remains of his time such as �Raina Pukhuri� at Pukhuripar village, Bhairabeswari Temple and a tank near Goreswar in Rangiya subdivision still exist.