Bhubaneswar: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has requested Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to develop Old Ayodhya Sagar along the Mahanadi near Sambalpur town under the ‘riverfront development project’ on the lines of Sabarmati, Kashi and Varanasi.
In a letter to the CM, Dharmendra, who is also the Sambalpur MP, said that the town on the banks of Mahanadi has immense potential to be a tourist destination. Tourism can be promoted here for economic growth by utilising the natural beauty of the river while preserving the spiritual heritage of Sambalpur, he said while stressing the need to restore the old Ayodhya Sagar, also called Ayodhya Sarovar, with the help of modern technology and develop it into a 7-km-long water body.
“Renovation of this old bund will significantly increase the water capacity of the reservoir. It can effectively harness the water released from the power channel of Hirakud reservoir and create more number of ponds near the river for the proposed riverfront development project,” he said.
The Union Minister also mentioned about defunct sluice gates of anicut built in the sixties to create the artificial lake and the need replace these with new gates for smooth entry of water from the river.
Stating that weeds have to be cleared from the bathing ghats and Aarti ghat, he said that boating facilities should be provided to attract more tourists apart from developing Ayodhya Sarovar. Facilities like parks, walkways, gyms, amphitheatres and riverside bathing could be created under the proposed riverfront development project along the bank to make Sambalpur a thriving tourist destination.
He also suggested sluices in all the canals connecting the artificial lake to reduce drainage problems in Sambalpur. Dharmendra requested Mohan Majhi to personally consider this proposal in the interest of the people of the state.
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