Anandapur: A sprawling moat locally known as ‘gadakhai’ built by the royals at Siadimalia in Anandapur block of Keonjhar district has been wallowing in neglect.
It is alleged that the moat is gradually losing its charm while people have been encroaching upon its land.
The main attraction of the place is the moat built decades ago. The place is also known for a shrine dedicated to Maa Dhanei. A local outfit named Namo Sena has been advocating for the renovation of the moat so that it can be used for boating facilities. “If the moat is renovated and boating facilities are put in place, tourists could visit the site,” said Bijay Kumar Mishra, president of Siadimalia Maa Dhanei Committee.
Goddess Dhanei is the witness of the royal regime in the Siadimalia area. The moat and other structures sprawled over 200 acres at the royal times.
Over the years, the moat has been silted and will soon lose its existence if it is not renovated. The area was once rich with verdant greenery which used to offer a home to varieties of birds. The area seemed alive with chirping of birds, but they are not heard any longer, locals lamented.
In 2013, some locals wanted to develop the place and formed the Maa Dhanei Thakurani Committee. Some renovation work was undertaken by the committee under the supervision of the administration. Encroachments in parts of Siadimalia had been removed.
Then in 2016, the forest department made an attempt to beautify the place with plantations. This had followed the visit of then DFO Sangram Keshari Behera to the area. He took stock of the area and assured that the moat area will be renovated.
However, many years have passed since the visit of the DFO, but the development of the place has been pushed to the backburner.
Locals have demanded renovation of the place that bears testimony to the glorious royal heritage.
PNN