Angul: 15 years ago the state government had proposed for a museum in all the districts. Ten years have passed since the construction work of the museum in Angul district headquarters started. But the envisioned museum is yet to see the light of day.
Angul was separated from undivided Dhenkanal district in 1993. At that time, the museum of Talcher palace housed a huge collection of rare articles. In the year 1995-96, the then collector P K Nayak first evinced interest to set up a museum where those rare articles treasured in the royal museum can be on display for common people.
After holding few rounds of discussions, he on behalf of the district administration gave a proposal to the state government for setting up a museum in the district.
The state government at that point did not accept the proposal, citing the shortage of funds as a reason. But the district administration was directed to get the building constructed from its own resources and start the museum.
Since a museum helps students develop their knowledge base and aid researchers, the government in 2005 decided to set up a museum in all the districts. Angul district then received a grant of Rs 20 lakh for setting up a museum.
Spending the grant money, the district administration got a building constructed near the district information and public relations bhawan in the year 2009-10.
As of now, Odia Language, Literature and Culture Department’s office and the district library are functioning from the same building. But the purpose for which the building was constructed has long been forgotten with the administration showing little interest in setting up the museum.
Local people alleged that the district administration seems to be little concerned about the excavation of ancient articles and scrolls from various places in the area.
“Few years ago, weapons date back to pre-Stone Age were found at Sanakerajang village under Banarpal block. Similarly, the palm plate founded from Jukubu and Talamula villages and the stone statute recovered during the construction work of Navodaya Vidyalaya’s building at Champatimunda were then regarded as ancient ones. As of now, most of these articles have gone missing,” they observed.
A linguist was engaged to decipher the language engraved on the palm plate recovered from Jukubu village. But the culture department, Angul does not have any information regarding the whereabouts of the same palm plate. “There is enough possibility that the missing rare articles might have already been smuggled out of the state and they might have found places in galleries of museums there,” the local residents alleged.
They also added that the museum at Talcher Palace has some such rare articles that are not found even in the state museum. Those articles are cannot be put on display as we have no museum here.
According to a source in the district culture department, the lack of manpower and paucity of funds are the two main reasons why no step is being taken to collect information about the ancient articles. The department is clueless as to where the missing articles are at present.
When contacted, Angul district collector Manoj Kumar Mohnaty said steps would soon be taken for setting up of the museum after holding discussions with district culture department. The hindrances coming on the way of setting up of the museum will thoroughly be thoroughly inspected.
PNN