Angul: The ongoing beautification drive taken up by Angul Municipality is not going down well with the town denizens.
The outer walls of various offices and residential compounds along the main streets, lanes and by lanes are being made colourful with paintings. What the local residents and art lovers object to is that these paintings do not feature any of the district’s top tourist spots or showcase its rich art and cultural heritages.
During this COVID-19 pandemic times, the state government had provided Rs 94 lakhs to Angul municipality to create jobs under the urban employment scheme.
The ongoing wall painting is being carried out through self help groups (SHGs). The walls along the stretch from Medical Square to stadium, the collector office front, and those at PTC chowk are depicting colourful pictures.
However, most pictures’ display coronavirus as the main subject of their art. It is learnt that emphasis is being given on making people aware of various government schemes and programmes and sensitise people on COVID-19.
But along with these informative drawings there are some other paintings which are only the traditional ‘jhoti chita’ ones.
“We have nothing to say about the informative drawings. But in place of those ‘jhoti chita’ paintings, paintings on district’s Satkosia sanctuary, Tiger project, Tikarpada crocodile project, King Somnath Singh Jagddeb and the palace in Talcher could have been considered. If these pictures were there, they would have not only added beauty but also informed first time visitors about the district’s tourist spots, art and culture,” the locals maintained.
“The municipality can inform people about the district’s history, art and culture. So they should focus on these themes as well,” said Biswajit Biswal, a town resident.
“Through these paintings, we can teach the present generation about the rich history of the district,” opined Ajay Sahu, another resident.
During interaction with some artists, it was learnt that they are not picking up the subjects of their paintings on their own. They are doing whatever pictures they are being given by the SHGs.
When contacted, executive officer, Angul Municipality, Binod Chandra Panda said, “Our main objective is to make people aware about the pandemic disease and add beauty to the town. There is hardly any problem in giving space to district’s tourist spots, historical places, art and culture. Rather they will be more attractive. Such pictures were excluded as none had drawn our attention to it. In coming days, such pictures will definitely be included.”
PNN
