Robert Clive's last stand Saturday , December 29, 2007 Time stands still in this sprawling mansion in Dum Dum from where Lord Robert Clive reportedly plotted the domination of Bengal. Also known as 'Bara Kothi', Clive House is one of the oldest buildings in Kolkata. Constructed before Siraj-ud-Daulah's invasion, it was the summer residence of Governor-General of Bengal Lord Clive, the man considered by many to be the founder of the British Empire in India. Present status The colossal building is on the path of steady decline. All efforts to restore the house to its original glory have been, at best, half- hearted. Wild plants and creepers grow out of the house's walls, the plaster has peeled off from the facade and the roof has given away at several places. Amazingly, the porch still survives. The cavernous rooms are now occupied by several families - all descendents of post-Partition refugees who had taken shelter in the house. Two families reside in the main building while another 20 live on the premises. In fact, these illegal settlers now stand in the way of renovation by the Archaeological Society of India. "The ASI served a notice ordering us to vacate the premises but we refused. We want them to make alternate arrangements for us first," said Shobha Saha, one of the occupants. "My mother-in-law put up base here over 50 years ago. Where will we go?" she added. ASI connection The ASI has declared Clive House a Monument of National Importance under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958. In the course of excavation during 2001-03, artifacts dating back to the 1st and 2nd Century BC as well as 8th and 9th Century AD were found. Most were terracotta plaques and figurines of the Sunga, Kushan and Gupta periods. The deadlock The ASI had envisaged setting up a museum in the Clive House. Accordingly, it drew up plans for large-scale renovation of the mansion. But it's been almost a year since the work was aborted midway. The ASI points to two obstacles. A part of the building is caught in a legal wrangle with occupants refusing to vacate. No fresh allocation of funds led to stalled renovation work in the remaining portion. http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Robert-Clives-last-stand/255556/ ----- Harshawardhan_Bosham Nimkhedkar Nagpur, India