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Heritage committee sans heritage activists
The timing of the Telangana Government in constituting a new state level heritage committee for identifying heritage structures and also deciding to raze the in-patient block of Osmania General Hospital (OGH) could be construed in several ways. While the government’s intention of constituting a heritage committee is welcomed by all, social and heritage activists are unhappy that the committee comprises of only government officials
Call to re-constitute defunct Heritage Conservation Committee
The timing of the Telangana Government in constituting a new state level heritage committee for identifying heritage structures and also deciding to raze the in-patient block of Osmania General Hospital (OGH) could be construed in several ways. While the government’s intention of constituting a heritage committee is welcomed by all, social and heritage activists are unhappy that the committee comprises of only government officials with the Chief Minister heading the committee in the city with other members including Chief Secretary, Principal Secretaries of Municipal Administration & Urban Development, Revenue and Tourism.
In districts it is headed by the District Collector with the SP, Joint Collector and others. P Anuradha Reddy, co-convenor, INTACH, Telangana, said, “Heritage activists should have been a part of the committee. The government could have at least selected a commoner from each district. It is the man on the streets and people from villages and towns who are sending information on unknown monuments for the Zilla Khazana initiative.”
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HCC defunct for three years
The Heritage Conservation Committee (HCC) has been defunct for the past three years. It is commonly believed that ever since the committee members raised objections especially to land acquisition of old buildings for Hyderabad Metro Rail project, the government showed no interest in constituting a new committee after the term lapsed.
Omin Debara, member of Forum for Better Hyderabad, said that the policy makers need to reconstitute the HCC. Unless you have people who own up the city in the committee, you will not be able to protect the rich and composite culture that includes the monuments.
Generally, the HCC members comprise eminent citizens, historians, archeologists, architects and environmentalists, ex-officio members from GHMC and superintending archeologists of ASI. Rukmini Iyer, a social activist, says, “Out of the 150 plus notified monuments in the city, several are in very bad state. The government needs to once again reconstitute HCC.”
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By:T P Venu
