Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, May 12: Notwithstanding the fact that Jammu and Kashmir is known for treasure house of ancient monuments and these historic sites possess huge potential for tourism promotion, there is no focus on conservation aspect and a legislation enacted for the purpose has failed to achieve desired results due to non-seriousness from the top to the bottom in the bureaucracy.
Every region of Jammu and Kashmir has abundant heritage both tangible and intangible and all these remind about the historical background of the State. However, with the passage of time several of these historical monuments turned into deplorable condition due to utter neglect on the part of the concerned authorities.
Despite being aware of the fact that conservation of these monuments is of immense importance especially for the posterity, no focus was laid on this aspect and condition of monuments continued to turn from bad to worse.
After decades long deep slumber, the State Government woke up to the necessity of conservation and preservation of rich heritage and accordingly State Legislature enacted J&K Heritage Conservation and Preservation Act in the month of April 2010. At that time it was stated that this special legislation would help in conservation and preservation of heritage both tangible and intangible including buildings, structures, monuments, precincts, areas/sites, artifacts, sculptures, manuscripts etc.
Thereafter, J&K Heritage Conservation and Preservation Authority was constituted with Tourism and Culture Minister as its Chairman for the implementation of legislation. However, the oblivion again gripped the Government and implementation of Act became non-issue. After three years, the Government again felt the necessity of conservation and preservation of monuments with the assistance of specialists in the fields and on April 24, 2013, the then Government headed by Omar Abdullah sanctioned staff for the Authority to help it perform mandatory functions for the implementation of the Act.
The posts, which were sanctioned for the Authority, included those of Chief Conservationist, Conser-vationists, Conservation Assistants etc. However, despite lapse of more than two years these posts have not been filled thereby exposing the intensity of non-seriousness with which the conservation and preservation of monuments is being handled in heritage rich Jammu and Kashmir.
“These posts of specialists were created in order to assist the Authority in preparation and implementation of Heritage Conservation Plans”, official sources told EXCELSIOR, adding “due to inordinate delay in appointments against these posts, the Authority could not come up with the required plans”.
Under these plans, the specialists were required to propose regulations for preservation, conservation and administration of heritage; listing and grading of heritage; prescription for development control for conservation of heritage etc.
Though the meetings of this Authority were convened by the then Ministers for Tourism and Culture, Nawang Rigzin Jora and Raman Bhalla respectively but there was no positive outcome of the same and objective behind enactment of legislation and constitution of Authority could not be achieved.
“No doubt some recommendations were made by the Authority and its Executive Committee but the same remained confined to the papers and deplorable condition of monuments is the testimony of the same”, sources said. “What purpose the recommendations regarding inclusion of some monuments in the list of State Protected Monuments would serve when on ground no step has so far been initiated to protect them in real sense”, they added.
The intensity of the non-seriousness can be gauged from the fact that several officers of the Tourism and Culture Department are not aware of this special legislation or the Authority constituted for its implementation. “I am not aware of this Act or Authority…..I will enquire about it and then come back to you for comments on the functioning of the Authority”, an officer of the Tourism Department said. He, however, wished not to be quoted on the ground that this would create embarrassing situation for the Government.
When this Act was enacted, it was stated that a fund known as J&K Heritage Conservation and Preservation Fund would be constituted for maintenance and improvement of heritage objects, areas, buildings, heritage precincts and heritage sites. “Though Fund was created with corpus of Rs 50 crore but how much money was spent for the purpose remains a mystery as there was no seriousness in implementation of the Act”, sources regretted.
What to talk of previous regime, even the present dispensation has not laid any focus on conservation and preservation of heritage till date, which is evident from the fact that even the meeting of Heritage Conservation and Preservation Authority has not been convened by the new Minister for Culture.
“If non-serious approach is continued towards conservation and preservation of monuments, the posterity would be deprived of this wealth of the State keeping in view the onslaught on these monuments due to lack of interest from the official machinery and weather vagaries”, sources said.
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