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Protecting Heritage Monuments in Delhi:
Government Eying on Corporate Entities
16 May, 2007
HERITAGE CONSERVATION is a social responsibility. It demands professionalism
and huge investments. Realising that many of the monuments in Delhi
are withering away due to sheer neglect or bad management, the government
is now relying on corporate entities.
The
most recent instance of a public-private collaboration in this direction
is the Jantar Mantar
restoration and conservation project, a joint initiative of Park Hotel
group and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
The government says its just the beginning of a work in the Humayun's
Tomb gardens in collaboration with the Culture Ministry, is keen
to take part in the proposed project.
Some private agencies have also evinced interest in the Adilabad Fort conservation plan, but nothing concrete has emerged yet.
ASI officials say there is immense pressure to conserve places of
heritage value due to the boom in the tourism sector. But funds, manpower
and infrastructure
are the major constraints, they said. So, are public-private partnerships
the perfect solution in such a scenario? When the National Cultural
Fund (NCF) was set up 10 years ago, the objective was to pave way
for public-private collaborations for conservation of monuments and
heritage structures in Delhi. NCF member Ol.P. Jain says that public-private
heritage conservation projects are happening after a lot of efforts.
"The Jantar Mantar proposal was in the discussion stage for three
years. Even the MoU on restoration of monuments in Lodhi Gardens was
signed after discussions for about a year," says Jain.
Clearly, there have been a lot of deliberations before the government turned to corporate entities. But critics of the public-private partnership formula also offer a sound argument.
A retired ASI official, said there seems to be a well-orchestrated move to stall and trash the work done by ASI, like in the case of the Red Fort. "ASI is carrying out the restoration of the Angkor Vat Temple single handedly after Western countries failed to do the work. Even private companies that derive mileage out of restoration projects are hiring retired ASI experts to do the job. In cases where work has been outsourced to private companies, the documentation and photographs are being provided by ASI employees only," he said.
He said that private companies should be asked to conserve a few unprotected monuments on a trial basis first.
Jain has a different line of thinking. "If the bureaucratic hurdles
are removed and proper systems for implementation are put in place,
it would be possible to take up a number restoration and conservation
works simultaneously so that the USP of Delhi - its heritage and culture
- can be properly showcased during the 2010 Commonwealth Games," says
Jain.
Clearly, there have been a lot of deliberations before the government turned to corporateentitles. But critics of the public-private partnership formula also offer a sound argument.
A retired ASI official, said there seems to be a well-orchestrated move to stall and trash the work done by ASI, like in the case of the Red Fort. "ASI is carrying out the restoration of the Angkor Vat Temple single-handedly after Western countries failed to do the work. Even private companies that derive mileage out of restoration projects are hiring retired ASI experts to do the job. In cases where work has been outsourced to private companies, the documentation and photographs are being provided by ASI employees only," he said.
He said that private companies should be asked to conserve a few unprotected monuments on a trial basis first.
Jain has a different line of thinking. "If the bureaucratic hurdles are removed and proper systems for implementation are put in place, it would be possible to take up a number restoration and conservation works simultaneously so that the USP of Delhi - its heritage and culture - can be properly showcased during the 2010 Commonwealth Games," says Jain.
Source: Hindustan Times |
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