Sambalpur: The state government today decided against razing the house of renowned Assamese litterateur Lakshminath Bezbaroa in western Odisha town of Sambalpur.

“We are evaluating alternative options to carry out the expansion work of the second bridge over Mahanadi river at Kacheri Square. However, the encroachments in and around the Bezbaroa House will be freed as per schedule,” Samarth Verma Sambalpur Collector

Worth mentioning, the state government is acquiring the 2.72-acre land along with two houses that belonged to Sahityarathi Lakshminath Bezbaroa in order to construct a traffic rotary linked to a new bridge on the Mahanadi. While a portion of it needs to be demolished to make way for the new road, the Assam government and several organisations had flagged objection to the decision.

On Thursday, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal spoke to his Odisha counterpart urging him not to demolish the property of the literary doyen having historical and cultural significance.

This apart, Assam Cultural Affairs Minister Naba Kumar Doley and Media Advisor Hrishikesh Goswami were scheduled to visit Sambalpur to hold talks with officials in this regard. In addition to this, the team will be meeting Naveen Patnaik too.

Bezbaroa had lived in Sambalpur from 1917 to 1937. In 1924, he constructed a house on the huge patch of land. This is the place where he penned his autobiography Mor Jiwan Sowaran, apart from numerous stories and essays.

The now century-old dissolute house has been lying in a state of neglect and cries for restoration.