A statue of the famous Ahom general, Lachit Barphukan (whom State Governor S K Sinha equated with Shivaji) less than a km from the site stands mute witness to the wanton destruction.

The rampart is not far from Dispur, where ministers have their offices, and the State Archaeology Department. It greets one on entry to Guwahati from the airport, and is soon becoming a part of the city.

The rampart falls under the area allotted to the Gauhati University, which had allegedly leased portions of the historical structure to some private organisations, apart from failing to check encroachment.

``It is a matter of concern for the government that the Garh has been encroached upon. People have not only built houses including clubsand schools on it, but even a cremation ground has come up in one spot,'' said State Education Minister Thaneswar Boro, when the matter came up in the State Assembly yesterday.

Dilip Kumar Saikia, an AGP legislator who raised the issue in the State Assembly yesterday, lashed out at the Gauhati University authorities for the act, simultaneously lambasting intellectuals and historians of the State for remaining mute spectators to the issue.

Some local newspapers which had earlier highlighted the plight of the Momaikota Garh, prompted State Assembly Speaker Ganesh Kutum to inspect the site earlier this month, following which he assured that he would constitute a House panel to look into the matter.

State Education Minister Thaneswar Boro, who also holds charge of the Department of Archaeology, on the other hand, said at the personal level, he would suggest heavy afforestation to protect the rampart. Officially, he came up with an idea of forming a coordination committee of representatives of theArchaeology Department, Gauhati University, Revenue Department and others to find ways to save the rampart from being wiped out. But Boro also informed the House that the Government had, in the early 1970's, tried to free the rampart from the encroachment, but the Gauhati High Court came in the way. That was when veteran Congress leader Sarat Chandra Sinha was the State chief minister.

The story of how the rampart was constructed in fascinating: The year was 1671, and the Moghuls had arrived. Ahom commander-in-Chief Lachit Barphukan assigned his maternal uncle to construct the rampart. But when, by midnight, Barphukan went to inspect the work, he found the workmen were fast asleep.``What is the matter?'' asked Barphukan, to which his maternal uncle replied: ``The workmen are tired. They are taking a nap.'' An enraged Barphukan slashed his uncle's head on the spot. And got the Army to get the rampart ready before dawn. The rampart not only helped the Ahom army take an advantageous position against theinvaders, but also helped them push the Moghuls back.

However, 300 years later, the authorities don't seem to take much pride in this legacy.