Memorials for Tyagis cry for attention

PARADIP: While the Government goes overboard to rekindle faded memories of the martyrs ahead of August 15, the Alaka Ashram in Jagatsinghpur district has failed to grab its share of the benevolence.With a portion of the pie reserved for the renovation of the ashram being siphoned, allegedly with an unholy nexus between the officials and contractors, local freedom fighters are left dismayed.The ashram, spread over 55 acres on the banks of the Alaka river had once been a venue for many freedom fighters who planned to topple the British. An initiative of the erstwhile zamindar Durga Charana Mohapatra and Bansidhar Pattnaik, the place was frequented by the pioneers of freedom movement. The ashram also boasts of visits by Jawaharlal Nehru and Jayaprakash Narayan in its heydays. Locals were trained here to use the charkha and weave khadi as part of the non-cooperation movement.The picture no longer inspires.In 2001, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had inaugurated the Alaka Ashram Freedom Fighter Smruti Bhavan Parishad apart from laying the foundation for Alaka Ashram Smruti Sansad at Chatra. But nothing happened after that. Despite the Ministry of Tourism sanctioning ` 63 lakh for renovation of the ashram, the dilapidated building, collapsed boundary walls and entrance awaits renovation, said secretary of Smruti Bhavan Parishad Madhabnanad Monahari.Work on the Smruti Sansad was hit by land crunch. According to local freedom fighters, the four decimal land donated for the project by Binayak Pattnaik, grandson of Durga Charana, is insufficient for the project designed to accommodate training centre, memorial hall, museum, research centre and four houses. Incidentally, Pattnaik is also the secretary of the Smruti Sansad. Subsequently much of the money remains unused.However, Government officials have spent ` 8 lakh for constructing boundary walls for the Smruti Sansad though it is slated to be relocated in near future, local freedom fighters alleged. District Tourist officer Arabinda Jena admitted to the unused funds. “The fund has not been utilised yet because of land constraints,” he said.