State plans to set up five museums

The Dwarka and Porbandar museums will both highlight the maritime exploits of the coastal people and trace their social and commercial growth, sources said.

The museum at Ambaji, an internationally renowned pilgrimage spot, will house sculptures and idols from an 11th century museum, while the one at Dahod 8212; the main transit point once upon a time for the peoples of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Gujarat 8212; will have a host of exhibits from the 4th and 6th centuries.

8220;Though all the proposals have been finalised, the Sardar Sarovar Project Authority allotted us two acres of land near the Kevadia Colony resettlement just a couple of days ago. The museum will attract the tourists who will come to see the dam and the landscapes8221;, Verma said. About the upcoming tribal museum at Chhotaudepur, he said it would be open to the public by May-end; two others 8212; at Prabhas Patan and Saputara are scheduled to open within a couple of months.

While maintaining that there was no dearth of funds for establishment or maintenance of new museums, Verma, however, admitted that the department was facing an acute staff shortage. 8220;However, we are trying to ensure at least the minimum number of staff at all existing museums8221;, he said, adding that this was the reason why several plans had been hanging fire. About the risk to exhibits as well as thousands of stored items, Verma admitted that they were vulnerable, but said they were checking the number of visitors, dust, temperature, humidity and radiation.

So far as the 1300 BC Egyptian mummy at the Vadodara Museum was concerned, Verma said the damage was being dealt with at the highest level in the department.