Experts fear extensive damage in absence of preservation
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Dec 19: Not only the historic Mubarak Mandi complex, precious treasure of Dogra rulers is also lying neglected in a strong room of the Civil Secretariat Jammu during the past 11 years because of complete non-seriousness on the part of Hospitality and Protocol Department as well as other concerned agencies of the State Government.
Shockingly, the keys of the lock on the doors of the strong room are also missing due to carelessness on the part of Jammu district administration and the Divisional Commissioner has failed to complete the probe into the incident and fix the responsibility as directed by the Joint House Committee of State Legislature.
On December 15, 2006 a major fire broke out in a portion of Mubarak Mandi complex and engulfed the Tosha Khana where precious treasure of Dogra rulers was kept. Though there was no damage to the precious metals, gems and other valuable objects yet fire rendered Tosha Khana (safe lock room) completely hazardous for keeping treasure anymore.
Accordingly, it was decided that treasure would be shifted from Tosha Khana in the historic Mubarak Mandi complex to a strong room in the Civil Secretariat so as to ensure its safety and security. Finally, on December 25, 2006, invaluable treasure of Dogra rulers was shifted to Civil Secretariat amidst tight security.
Barring a palanquin (Palki) made of gold and a chest all other precious items were shifted to Civil Secretariat as these two items could not be brought out of the doors of the Tosha Khana because of its less width and authorities were not interested in causing any damage either to the door or these two items.
However, during the past 11 years precious items of Dogra heritage have remained completely neglected in the strong room of the Civil Secretariat and nobody ever tried to see their condition despite the fact all the antiques need specialized treatment after regular intervals for their proper preservation, official sources told EXCELSIOR.
Not ruling out extensive damage to these items during the past over one decade in the absence of any preservation, experts said, “there is every possibility of some of the antiques becoming completely un-repairable because of damage due to moisture and heat during all these years”, adding “what purpose the shifting of treasure from Tosha Khana to a strong room in the Civil Secretariat has served in the absence of proper care after regular intervals remains a million dollar question”.
“The shocking aspect is that keys of the strong room, which were placed at the disposal of Deputy Commissioner Jammu in 2006, are also missing”, sources said while disclosing that strong room can be opened only when the keys given to the then Deputy Commissioner and those in the possession of Director Hospitality and Protocol are used together.
The missing of keys came to the fore only when House Committee of members of Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly constituted to look into all the aspects of historic Mubarak Mandi complex conservation expressed desire to see the condition of the treasure kept in a strong room in the Civil Secretariat Jammu, sources said.
Though Director Hospitality and Protocol was ready with the keys to facilitate the visit of the Joint House Committee to the strong room yet due to non-availability of keys in the office of Deputy Commissioner Jammu the visit had to be postponed, sources said.
Taking serious note of missing of keys from the office of Deputy Commissioner Jammu, the Joint House Committee ordered inquiry to be conducted by the Divisional Commissioner Jammu, who was also asked to fix the responsibility for such carelessness.
“Despite lapse of considerable period of time the Divisional Commissioner has failed to complete the inquiry and this indicates absolute non-seriousness on his part”, said Chairman of the Joint House Committee Sajjad Ahmed Kichloo, who is Member of Legislative Council.
“We had also summoned the then Deputy Commissioner Jammu, present Deputy Commissioner, Divisional Commissioner and Director Hospitality and Protocol but due to cancellation of meetings of all the House Committees by the Chairman of Legislative Council in view of forthcoming Budget Session no further step could be initiated”, he said.
However, the Chairman of the Joint House Committee said, “missing of keys that too from the office of District Magistrate is a serious issue and I will raise this issue in the House also”.
“Actually, there is complete non-cooperation from the concerned agencies on various issues raised by the Joint House Committee”, he said while disclosing that Police has also failed to inform the committee about the outcome of the FIR registered into fire incident of 2006.
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