Guwahati, Sep 24 (PTI) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday launched the year-long celebrations of the 575th birth anniversary of medieval saint Srimanta Sankardeva.
On this occasion, Sarma inaugurated infrastructural projects worth Rs 22 crore at Batadrava Thaan, the birthplace of Srimanta Sankardeva.
Speaking at the event, he said the Assam government has been relentlessly working for the development of the revered Batadrava Thaan.
He said that in the days to come, steps will be taken to beautify the two ponds on the premises and build parking spaces for visitors’ vehicles and toilets for the convenience of the devotees.
The projects inaugurated during the day include a conference hall, a guest house and an office complex.
“A law will be enacted to prevent the sale of land within an 8-km range of Batadrava Thaan to non-indigenous communities. The district commissioner has been instructed not to give assent to sale of land to people belonging to non-indigenous communities till the Act is brought in and implemented,” Sarma said.
He further said that in addition to the beatification process of Batadrava Thaan, the state government has decided to work on beautification of another 21 sites directly related to Srimanta Sankardev as part of the year-long celebration of his 575th birth anniversary.
Srimanta Sankardeva was an Assamese saint-scholar, social-religious reformer, poet, playwright and a towering figure in the cultural and religious history of 15th-16th century in Assam.