*No taker of Govt’s clarion call for conserving heritages
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, July 28: Despite Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s clarion call for conservation of heritage sites in the length and breadth of the State, a State Level Coordination Committee, which was constituted more than four months back to thrash out the issues concerning protection of monuments, has failed to meet even once till date thereby allowing the hurdles to persist.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that the Department of Culture vide communication No. Cul/Arch/01/2015 dated February 23, 2015 brought certain issues to the notice of the top echelons of the PDP-Congress Coalition Government for immediate resolution in order to help the Archaeological Survey of India in better conservation and protection of historical monuments.
The Department of Culture’s communiqué was based on the concerns repeatedly highlighted by the ASI, which is the premier organization for the archaeological researches and protection of the cultural heritage and functions under the direct control of Union Ministry of Culture.
It is pertinent to mention here that Archaeological Survey of India is protecting 69 historical monuments in different parts of Jammu and Kashmir, which is considered as repository of ancient monuments and archaeological artifacts. The ASI protected monuments are situated right from Drass in Kargil district and Uri in Kashmir valley to Billawar in Kathua district and Ambaran in Akhnoor tehsil of Jammu.
On the basis of Department of Culture’s communication, the General Administration Department vide Government Order No.282 dated March 6, 2015 constituted a State Level Coordination Committee to examine the issues related to Archaeological Survey of India monuments in the State.
The mandate of the Committee headed by Administrative Secretary, Department of Culture and comprising Director, Archives, Archaeology and Museums, Deputy Commissioner concerned, Vice-Chairman of Development Authority, Jammu/Srinagar, Chief Town Planner, Jammu/Srinagar, Senior Superintendent of Police concerned and Superintendent of Archaeological Survey of India, Srinagar Circle was to thrash out the issues such as incorporation of monuments in the Master Plan and Site Management Plan.
Moreover, the Committee was required to look into the issues of encroachments, lack of approach road, model monuments and cleanliness around the monuments besides ensuring provision of public amenities at appropriate places etc.
“However, the Committee has not met ever since its constitution despite the fact that issues were required to be resolved by making suitable recommendations to be acted upon by various departments/agencies of the Government”, sources regretted, adding “the non-holding of meeting clearly indicates the non-seriousness on the part of those, who are part and parcel of the committee”.
What sort of coordination the State Government was expecting in resolving the issues confronting protection and conservation of historical monuments from this State Level Coordination Committee which has not met till date?, sources wondered.
When contacted, Director, Department of Archives, Archaeology and Museums, Mohammad Shafi Zahid confirmed that Committee has not met even once till date. He, however, immediately added that Commissioner Secretary, Tourism and Culture has planned to convene meeting next week.
“The exact date has yet not been decided”, Mr Zahid said in response to a question. Had there been seriousness on the part of this Committee the Director would have specified the date on which the meeting is going to be convened.
The non-seriousness on the part of the Committee is notwithstanding the fact that the Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed has already given clarion call for conservation and protection of historical monuments so that the same are protected for posterity and integrated into tourist circuit as destination sites for heritage lovers.
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