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This is an archive article published on April 16, 2012
For 4 yrs,statues gathering dust at Akademi
As many as 14 white marble lifesize statues,including one of former chief minister Mayawati,are gathering dust in the parking lot of UP Sangeet Natak Akademi
As many as 14 white marble lifesize statues,including one of former chief minister Mayawati,are gathering dust in the parking lot of UP Sangeet Natak Akademi SNS,close to Bhimrao Ambedkar Samajik Parivartan Sthal in Gomti Nagar area of Lucknow,for the past four years. Made from public money,these were supposed to be put up at different memorials and parks during the previous regime.
While three statues,including one of Gautam Buddha and two of elephants,are partially covered with plastic sheets,the remaining 11 are placed in wooden boxes. These include those of Mayawati,Dr B R Ambedkar,Jyotiba Phule,Sant Ravidas,Birsa Munda,Narain Guru and other Dalit icons.
According to a Lucknow Development Authority LDA official,who had been associated with memorials projects during the BSP regime,the cost of these statues is about Rs 3 crore.
When reached for his comment,department secretary Manoj Kumar Singh said he had no idea about the matter.
An official of SNA said these statues were dumped there by the LDA about four years ago. The LDA had to erect these statues along Gomti embankment near Ambedkar memorial. But as construction work was going on at the site,these statues were placed here, he said. He said that no official from LDA or UP Rajkiya Niram Nigam came there to check the condition of these statues during the past four years.
LDA vice-chairman Rajeev Agarwal could not be contacted.
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