Bhubaneawar, March 16: Union Minister of Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday urged his Cabinet colleague G Kishan Reddy to stop large scale mining activities at Lalitgiri Buddhist Complex in Jajpur district and Sisupalgarh in Khordha district.
In a letter to the Union Culture and Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy, Pradhan sought the latter’s personal intervention in stopping the mining activities to save the historical sites from further destruction.
“Wrote to G Kishan Reddy for stopping mining activities at the Khandolite mining site in the vicinity of Lalitgiri Buddhist Complex in Jajpur to save the Sukhuapada site from further destruction as well as to protect archaeological assets and natural ecology of the area,” tweeted Pradhan.
“Also, sought his personal intervention in stopping large-scale mining and earthmoving activities at Sisupalgarh in Khordha district of Odisha,” wrote Pradhan.
Pradhan, who hails from Odisha, wrote, “Sisupalgarh is a site of immense historical significance. Immediate action is required to protect and conserve our priceless heritage.”
“The State Government may also be directed to act immediately on vandals and stop earthmoving activities, illegal excavations and mining on the ramparts of the protected areas of Sisupalgarh,” Pradhan further said.
