Dhenkanal: Delay in construction of three chariots ahead of Car Festival here is attributed to unavailability of new timber.
The Endowment and the Forest departments which should have sorted out the problem long ago are holding each other responsible for the delay.
The construction of the second chariot has begun at Rathagada. But lack of new wood has allegedly slowed down the pace of the work.
The Endowment Department had urged the Forest Department to provide 180 cft Sal wood and 225 cft of ‘Dhaura’ type of wood at the preparatory meeting for the festival. The forest department had also promised to provide the requisite wood.
But the promised wood is yet to be made available for construction of the chariots. The Endowment Department is left with no option but to use old and used logs. It is feared that the problem would be more acute in the coming years.
As of now, 110 cft Sal wood and 125 cft ‘Dhaura’ have been received by the Endowment department . The department has also bought some wood.
As per practice, the Forest Department would register a case and supply logs only when Rs 2, 500 is deposited with it.
This year, the Endowment department has deposited Rs 75, 000 with the Forest department.
Both the departments had agreed to supply wood and build chariots at a preparatory meeting presided over by the Collector. Now, lack of coordination between the departments has given rise to a controversy, allege the locals.
When contacted, Endowment inspector Pradyumna Tripathy, who looks after chariot construction said, “The Forest department has not supplied wood as it had promised. Some woods have been bought from open market. Yet, there is shortage and thus old wood is being used. For the first time, woods have been procured through royalty. I will intimate this problem to the Endowment officer,’’ he added.
Assistant conservator of forests Jitendranath Das said although the department is ready to provide the promised wood, the Endowment department is refusing to take it, citing the problem of getting them sawed. Consequently, the wood is lying with the Forest department, he added.
Several committees have been formed for the Car Festival and officers assigned specific duties, but the committees are not taking stock of the progress of the work, alleged some locals.