Champua: The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) has urged the Odisha government to declare the Forestry school at Champua in Keonjhar district as a heritage institution.
The original name of the School was “Orissa State Forest School” and it was set up in 1927 by Dr. H.F.Mooney, the advisor to the Eastern States for imparting training in forestry to the foresters of the province of Bihar, Orissa and Eastern State Agency. It was the only Institute of its type at that time in Eastern India. In 1939, it was renamed as the Eastern State Forest School. Post-independence it was once again renamed as the Nicholson Forest Training School, being named after J.W. Nicholson, IFS who was the first Conservator of Forests of Orissa.
Spread over an area of 8 acres, the school has a colonial building with an old-world charm. There are trophies, antique guns, old photos etc. on its walls. The furniture all belongs to the early period. The building is well-conserved by the Forest Department with very few changes. There was a rich library of books on forestry in the initial days, whatever is left should be properly preserved.
Intach’s Keonjhar Chapter Convener Ajay Nayak has written to the Government to declare the School and its building as a heritage institution.
Intach’s State Co-convener Anil Dhir recently visited the Forestry School and is of the opinion that a small Forestry Museum should be set up at the place and made ready by the centenary of the School which will happen in 2027.
Dhir also said that the Forest Department has many heritage properties spread all over the state which include, bungalows, forest lodges, offices, rest houses, training centers, watch towers etc. which are being repaired and renovated on new lines, destroying the heritage values. These colonial relics of the past should be properly conserved due to the rich legacy they carry. Intach Odisha is soon undertaking a project to list all these heritage properties of the Forest Department all over the State.
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