Kaptipada: Samibrukhya, a tourist site with Mahabharata connection, at Debala panchayat under Kaptipada block in Mayurbhanj district, not only offers scenic beauty but also spiritual delight.
It was accorded the tag of a tourism spot in 2003 but some basis facilities like drinking water and electricity have not been put in place there yet. Tourists coming here are facing problems, it was alleged.
The district administration had drawn up an action plan for the development of tourism at Samibrukhya at a cost of Rs 1.15 crore but the proposal has been shelved into cold storage.
The main attraction of the place, 18 kilometres from Udala, is a towering outcrop rising to 700 metres while river Kushabhadra flowing nearby adds to its beauty.
As tourism season has begun, a large number of people are thronging the place for picnics. The tourism minister and officials of the department had promised to carry out development of the place but nothing is being done, locals alleged.
Then Collector Rajesh Prabhakar Patil had provided Rs 15 lakh under the Backward Region Grant Fund for development of the site. Some works on drinking water, picnic platforms, toilets, dustbins, solar-powered lighting and stair constructions were made.
The district administration has drawn up an action plan for the development of tourism at Samibrukhya at a cost of Rs 1.15 crore and drawn the attention of the tourism department. The proposal has been shelved into cold storage. Locals lamented that as funds have not been available, no further development of the place has been carried out.
Mass festival Makar will be observed at the site for 10 days from January 14. After a lot of pressure from Ananta Basudev Trust and locals, various projects worth Rs 30 lakh are underway. But necessary infrastructure work on drinking water provision, electricity and dyke along Kushabhadra river have not been taken up. Locals have demanded immediate work on those projects.
Kal dam is to the east of Samibrukhya while Kushabhadra flows near it. The greenery of Similipal on its west offers a picture postcard view to the tourists. A few metres away are Dubigad hill, a pond and remains of an ancient temple. Itagarh hill near it has a treasure of important archeological remnants. The prominent feature of the place is a huge outcrop protruding out of the earth.
Legend has it that Mahabharata character Bhima had set ablaze Kichak at Podadiha near the site. The Pandava princes used to stay at the place during their exile. Locals have made idols of Draupadi and the Pandavas and are worshipping them.
District tourism officer Manoranjan Mohapatra said development work is going on with the funds provided. He added that an estimate for overall development of the place has been submitted to the department.
