The Bihar government has initiated the process to declare protected site the house at Motihari in East Champaran district where British author Eric Arthur Blair, better known by his pen name George Orwell, was born.
"The house is in a dilapidated condition...We have initiated the process of declaring Orwell's house a protected site in accordance with the provisions of Bihar Ancient Monument (Protection) Act of 1976," art and culture secretary Vivek Singh told PTI.
"The state government's priority is to protect the building and other development works would follow later...The process will take around three months. Given the importance attached to the house, we will be more than willing to declare the house a protected site," he added.
Orwell, who wrote the masterpiece Animal Farm, was born on June 3, 1903 in the house when his father Richard W Blair worked for the opium department during the British rule.
"A detailed report about the history of the house, its present condition and land records have been sought from the district administration," Singh said.
A team of experts would be sent to Motihari to assess the situation from archaeological point of view, he said. Singh said the department would go for inviting no objection from people who would be intimated about the purpose.
After the expiry of two months time of filing objections, the process of public hearing would be taken up on the objections if any, he said.
When Singh's attention was drawn towards the move taken by Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) to develop the site, he said the department had a discussion with HPCL and the company will be allowed to develop the site if something fruitful emerge out of future discussions.
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