Chief Secretary, Atal Dullu today presided over a meeting of the Department of Culture to assess J&K’s legacy and measures taken for revival, restoration, protection and maintenance of unique architecture.
Apart from Principal Secretary, Culture Department, the meeting was attended by Secretary, PWD; Commissioner, SMC/JMC; Ed, Mubarak Mandi Heritage Complex; Director, Library; Secretary, Art, Culture and Academy of Languages; Director, Archeology and Archives; Chief Engineer and other concerned officers.
During this meeting, the Chief Secretary made a comprehensive review of the status of every work done under CAPEX and Heritage Protection Scheme. He emphasized the department to take a keen interest in completing all the ongoing tasks for the previous year.
Dulloo said that all tasks for revival and restoration of heritage are important for our future generations to protect our rich past. He said that every effort should be made to preserve this historical treasury in a highly professional manner to present heritage lovers equally in a beauty fashion.
The Chief Secretary also attached to those who have to be taken here to accept administrative approval for all the tasks. He emphasized the fact that these works should be taken without any delay to complete their time.
On observing the current status of various architecture and heritage protection projects, the Department of Archeology and Archives was directed to intensify the efforts of restoration, which ensure visible progress on the ground. They were further asked to create a balance in choosing projects in each district so that the heritage and architectural monuments that are widely spread here are preserved for the posterity.
As far as the cultural revival of Mubarak Mandi Heritage Complex (MMHC) is concerned, Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, was directed to MMHC to convert MMHC into a culturally lively place by organizing a cultural evening in a cultural place by organizing a cultural evening in collaboration with the academy of art, culture and languages.
The Chief Secretary also emphasized on adaptive reuse of the restored structures restored in MMHC. The Department of Archeology was tasked to develop a strong re -use plan for the restored structures restored in MMHC. He also asked to use the newly created reading room cum cafeteria besides taking steps to create adequate parking space near this heritage complex.
According to the previous instructions, the Chief Secretary reviewed the progress made in the protection and modernization of the old SPS Museum, Srinagar, in addition to the revised DPR for the completion of the new museum building here.
The meeting also includes assessment of projects related to major heritage, including the restoration and development of Shergari Palace, construction of Tehjeeb Mahal, and the establishment of a vertical lift between the cable car project (Pirkho) and the Mubarak Mandi campus and the construction of special parking for Heritage Complex by JMC.
In his presentation, Principal Secretary, Culture Department, Brij Mohan Shars gave information about the meeting and also took the speed and progress of projects under Capaxs by the department under various stages of revival, restoration, protection and architecture and inheritance maintenance.
He informed about the meeting that the department is going to cooperate with IUST and SMVDU for conservation and protection of our heritage in UT. He also said that a budgetary allocation of Rs 132 crore was made for the department during the upcoming financial year, which had a huge stake of Rs 120 crore for heritage protection, including the prestigious Mubarak Mandi Heritage Complex.
In addition, he said that the funds for the tune of Rs 2 crore were estimated to upgrade the Tagore Hall, Srinagar, which was also Rs 2.23 crore for the upgradation of Abhinav Theater, Jammu, and Rs 1.50 crore for the upgradation of Kala Kendra, Jammu.
Under the first phase, 33 projects were taken at an estimated cost of Rs 64.25 crore. A total of 73 projects were identified under Step 2, out of which 71 DPRS is ready for projects and administrative approval for 61 given by the department is ready.
Director, Archives, Archaeological and Museum, KK Siddha informed the meeting about the status of the work completed to modernize the scope of SPS Museum, Srinagar and the newly prepared DPR.
He also highlighted the status of projects including the upcoming Tehjib Mahal, working in Shargari Palace and in Mubarak Mandi Complex.
The meeting was informed by UNESCO about the efforts of the department to recruit 6 Mughal gardens of the valley as World Heritage Sites. It was also made aware of the number of archaeological sites that are soon being declared by ASI as ‘protected sites’.
The meeting also discussed the scheme of the department for working of public libraries and construction of new districts and tehsil libraries, where there is no infrastructure up-to-date. It was discovered that there are a total of 131 libraries in the length and width of the Valley with SRS Library, Jammu and SPS Library, Srinagar among 10 leading libraries in India.
It was said about the work of libraries that these houses get about 14 lakh books and 5580 manuscripts of about 3.83 lakhs per year. In addition, it was given about Oriental Research Library that it had 33045Printed books, 166 short pictures, 150 microfilms, 850rare books and published 125 titles of authors in UT. The department also claimed to protect the oldest manuscript by Karabadin written in Arabic language on medicine, which is about 750 years old, thus the most important historical documents are available with them.
Assessing efforts for digitization by the department, it was found that the department had already digitized 25.80 lakh pages of archival stores in Srinagar and 55 million pages of archival repository in Jammu, with 1054 manuscripts in Srinagar and 1054 manuscripts in Srinagar and work with work over a time in Jammu in 183.
