To keep safe our heritage

Even popular heritage monuments like Purana Qila,Tughlaqabad Fort,Qutub Minar,Adilabad Fort,Safdarjung’s Tomb and the Lodhi Tombs in the Lodhi Gardens have messages scrawled on the walls. While the ASI has been planning to erase the graffiti as part of its preparations for the Commonwealth Games,officials maintain the focus remains on creating awareness among the youth to abstain from such activity.

“The youth has to be motivated and convinced that this is part of their legacy and it is their responsibility to protect it. It is only awareness that will bring a change in the long run,” said KK Muhammed,superintending archaeologist,Delhi Circle,ASI. “We are tying up with a number of schools,and on occasions like the World Heritage Week,we conduct oath-taking ceremonies with students pledging to protect the monuments and heritage structures,” he said.

There are strict rules to curb such activity under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act 1958,which clearly states that “whoever destroys,removes,inquires,alters,defaces,imperils,or misuses a protected monument… shall be punishable with imprisonment which may extend to three months,or with fine which may extend to five thousand rupees,or with both”. But the ASI is unable to impose these laws due to a shortage of security personnel at the monuments. At a time when the requirement for monument attendants is 13,230,ASI has only 3463 at its disposal,leaving several monuments unattended.

Faced with the constant pressure of staff and fund crunches,the Delhi Circle of the ASI is seeking help from Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) for effective conservation and maintenance of protected monuments. In an innovative move to make protection of monuments a social responsibility of every citizen,the ASI is now trying to motivate young students and all residents to adopt heritage structures near their schools and homes. Beginning with Sakri Ghumti,which falls in the neighbourhood of the Safdarjung Development Area (SDA) RWA,the ASI is experimenting with public private partnership in the maintenance of these monuments.

The move might be extended to other cities if the first step meets with success. With around 3,675 protected monuments under the apex body,it has been difficult for the ASI to effectively conserve and maintain all of them. The ASI has been battling with issues of graffiti,defacement and encroachments at these monuments and has finally decided to engage RWAs to combat this. Some monuments have vanished from the city map due to the lack of proper vigilance and protection.

If the partnership with the SDA RWA works out well,ASI is planning to involve RWAs near Barakhamba,Biwi or Dadi ka Gumbad and Bandi or Poti ka Gumbad,all situated in the Green Park and Hauz Khas localities in the city,and later on a larger scale across the country.

“If people in the neighbourhood see the monument as part of their property,they will value it more and try to maintain it. The aim is also to involve young children and the elderly,who can use the parks around the monuments to play or for evening and morning walks,” said a senior ASI official. “A sense of belonging to these monuments is necessary; this will also sensitise children against scribbling and defacing these heritage structures,” he added.

Involving RWAs will also help pump in funds for the maintenance of the monuments. “With the staff and fund crunches,it has been difficult for us to pay proper attention to all the monuments under our jurisdiction. This partnership will help in sharing funds and resources from both ends,” said the official.

RWAs too are upbeat about the proposal as a monument opening up gates right in the neighbourhood will add charm to the locality. “As of now Sakri Ghumti’s gate opens on the road towards the Hauz Khas Village,but we will soon have an entrance in our locality park. It will be great to organise our society functions in the park,with the monument as the backdrop,” said Meenakshi,a member of the of the local RWA.

“Only big events like the Commonwealth Games draw the attention of government bodies towards the conservation and maintenance of monuments. But they will again be neglected after the event is over. These partnerships,however,will go a long way in conserving our heritage,” she said.

“Also,so far only couples visited the monument to while away their time,but with the entrance opening in the locality,residents here will be able to keep a check on the visitors and also protect the monument better,” Meenakshi said. “The RWA does have funds which can be invested in its upkeep and since we are the immediate neighbours of the monument it is our responsibility to maintain it well,” she added.

A similar plan was worked out by th Delhi government’s Department of Archaeology,where an amount of Rs. 1 lakh was to be allocated to the RWAs for maintenance after the department had conserved the monument. The proposal,however,is yet to see the light of day.

During the World Heritage Week,which is observed every year from November 19 to 25,ASI involves students and organises an oath-taking ceremony in schools to protect monuments from damage and quoting Ashoka’s words from his Kalinga war repentance speech,the students make amends for the loss already done to heritage buildings. The ASI organises the week-long observation every year to mark Indira Gandhi’s birthday,which falls during that week,as Gandhi was an ardent supporter of preserving the nation’s heritage. Through the week-long awareness programme ASI is trying to get more schools across the country to take the pledge at various monuments.