There have been renewed demands for immediate conservation work and proper access at the Nanus Fort, as the State government will pay homage to Dipaji Rane to mark his armed uprising against the Portuguese at the Nanus Fort in Sattari taluka on January 26, 1852.
To ensure that the younger generation becomes aware of this history, the Sattari History Preservation Committee (SHPC) has been observing January 26 as Revolution Day at Nanus Fort for many years.
Since 2023, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has been paying an official tribute on behalf of the government to Dipaji Rane at the Nanus Fort on January 26.
This year, Sawant, MLA Deviya Rane, and senior government officials from various departments will pay tribute to Dipaji Rane and other freedom fighters at the Nanus fort.
The SHPC had initiated the Nanus Fort campaign about 15 years ago. Through this movement, many people became aware of the fort, and the campaign helped highlight the heroic work of revolutionary Dipaji Rane.
The archaeology department had issued a circular proposing that the Nanus Fort be declared a protected monument. The SHPC had also submitted relevant documents regarding the fort to the government.
The land on which the fort stands belongs to the government. However, access to the fort remains a major issue, and there is a demand that this problem be resolved immediately.
Although the government has laid the foundation for conservation work at the fort, the actual work has not yet begun.
Heritage enthusiasts and the SHPC have demanded that conservation work start immediately. Steps have been constructed to reach the fort, but the access road remains problematic.
The SHPC has also been consistently demanding that the Valpoi“Ponda road be named after revolutionary Dipaji Rane.
“A grand memorial dedicated to all freedom fighters can be constructed at Nanus Fort, and the fort can be redeveloped accordingly. Such a memorial could become a matter of pride for the entire nation,” said SHPC Coordinator Adv Shivaji Desai.
Adv Desai said the conservation of Nanus Fort would significantly contribute to the development of Sattari taluka and generate large-scale employment opportunities.
“The committee plans to raise this issue with the central government level as well. The Centre is currently undertaking conservation of several forts, and funds should be secured from the Centre for the preservation of Nanus Fort,” he said.
“Today, many schools and colleges attempt to visit the fort for academic study and to learn about its history, but lack of proper access remains an unfortunate obstacle. If the government fails to resolve this issue, the committee will have no option but to pursue legal action,” warned Adv Desai.
