By JB Dash, Baripada: Once a vibrant cultural and intellectual hub, Baripada’s historic town hall—popularly known as Seva Sangha Hall—now stands in a state of neglect. During the 1970s to 1990s, the hall hosted Annapurna theatre performances, magical shows by renowned illusionists, lectures by scholars and political leaders, and major public meetings. However, the structure has remained dilapidated for nearly 45 years, prompting renewed calls for its immediate renovation.
The demand for a comprehensive facelift of the building’s interiors and exteriors has been raised by Nagarika Manch, a local citizens’ forum. The town hall, located in the heart of Baripada, is a debottar (endowment) property that was originally under municipal control. Over the years, however, it has allegedly been usurped and rented out by a non-Odia businessman to multiple traders.
According to local traders Arjun Ram, Ganesh Pal, and others, the prime property—spread across nearly 1.5 acres and estimated to be worth around ₹50 crore—currently houses about 35 shops. These shops generate lakhs of rupees in rent, which allegedly goes into the coffers of the businessman instead of the rightful debottar authorities. The issue, they said, has remained unresolved for decades.
The Seva Sangha was established in the 1940s by a group of enthusiastic residents and played a key role in constructing the historic town hall. For several decades, it remained the centre of social and cultural life in the town.
However, its importance declined in the 1990s after the construction of another town hall, Saheed Bhavan, near the district library, said Binod Dash, a lecturer at a local college.
Taking advantage of this decline, a non-Odia businessman initially entered the organisation as a member and later emerged as its virtual controller following the demise of several founding members, alleged Makhanlal Mohanty, a Seva Sangha member and former councillor. Mohanty further claimed that the debottar authorities were unaware for decades that a private individual was occupying and profiting from such a valuable endowment property—an act he termed a serious criminal offence.
When contacted, Baripada Municipality Executive Officer P.B. Biswal said he was unaware of the issue and would look into the matter upon returning from vacation.
Meanwhile, members of Nagarika Manch have demanded the immediate renovation of the historic structure and the transfer of its control back to local authorities. A memorandum has been submitted to the Chief Minister and the Housing Minister, seeking action against the alleged illegal occupation and recovery of public revenue lost over the past 45 years, said senior citizen and convenor Asit Das.
