Heritage Alerts March 2010
The public works department (PWD) did not undertake an environmental impact assessment before constructing the flyover that straddles the centuries-old Neela Hauz in south Delhi. This fact came to light following a Right To Information (RTI) query. The flyover was opened to the public last month by the Delhi government.
Stunned by the RTI disclosure, the Delhi high court (HC) directed the state government earlier this week to explain why no environmental impact assessment was carried out to take into account the ecological damage that the water body beneath the flyover might suffer. The division bench comprising acting chief justice Madan B Lokur and justice Mukta Gupta was acting on a PIL. Neela Hauz is a natural water body that has been in existence for centuries in the vicinity of Sanjay Van in south Delhi.
Filed by Malvika Kaul, a resident of Vasant Kunj, through her lawyer Bankey Bihari, the PIL cites the RTI reply by PWD to back up its allegation that ecological concerns were disregarded while constructing the flyover. It informed the court that the PIL spoke for an entire group of concerned locals from Vasant Kunj, Mehrauli and even JNU seeking the court's intervention to preserve the water body. The RTI that led to the admission by PWD was filed by Sudha Bhattacharya, a JNU professor.
Pointing out how the government had violated the rulings of the Supreme Court and its concept of "sustainable development" by ignoring environmental concerns, the PIL prayed for directions by the HC to the government to spell out plans for restoration and preservation of Neela Hauz.
- Times City, Times of India, March 1, 2010
New Delhi: After Delhi Police, Delhi Development Authority (DDA) seems to be playing the spoilsport for Indian Railways. After being told that renovation work at the Minto Road Bridge could stall traffic in Connaught Place, the Railways have ''agreed'' to give up commercialization of over 1.5 lakh sqm of prime land in the area. ''We are concerned that the project of upgrading the New Delhi station into a world-class facility will never take off until we agree to certain compromises. We are willing to accept some of DDA's proposals to get this project off the shelf,'' said a senior officer at Rail Bhawan.
''The plan is being revised and a new one will be submitted to DDA soon,'' a senior railway ministry official said, adding, ''the land-owning agency has agreed in principle to approve the project on certain conditions.'' Northern Railway sources claimed UTTIPEC — the nodal agency for government policy on traffic and transport — has been approached and a ''formula'' has been worked out.
According to the revised plan, 50% of the area meant for commercial utilization on the Paharganj side will be reduced to get approval from DDA. According to the earlier plan, the Railways had earmarked 5.5 lakh sqm area for commercial utilization in the non-operational area. ''It is expected to be reduced to about 4 lakh sqmt in the revised plan,'' the official said.
Sources at Northern Railway headquarters and railway ministry, however, expressed apprehensions about raising the money. ''It is a PPP project in a prime location. UTTIPEC had asked us to reallocate the 1.5 lakh sqm space in other areas. But unless the process is commercially viable, we cannot expect a good response,'' said a source.
Though Railways had submitted their plan to DDA two years back, it did not get approval, resulting in cancellation of the tendering process for the Rs 12,000-crore New Delhi station project twice.
DDA has objected to the massive commercial utilization plan on the ground that it would create a huge traffic bottleneck in the area. ''We will begin the tendering process immediately after we get the DDA and Delhi Traffic Police nod,'' added the official.
However, the operational area, including circulating area, platforms and booking area, remain intact in the revised plan at 4.5 lakh sqm.
There are plans for creating various facilities like shopping arcade, eateries and forex exchange booths in the non-operational areas at New Delhi Station. The Railways propose to develop 49 stations, including Howrah, Patna, Lucknow, Mumbai, Bangalore and Bhubaneswar as world-class stations.
- Times City Times of India, March 4, 2010
With several crore rupees going down the drain and the Ganga still remaining 'maili', the World Bank (WB) has proposed a project of over a thousand crore rupees to the UP Government to cleanse the mighty river.
Top WB officials conferred with Chief Secretary, Atul Kumar Gupta last week and proposed the project worth a whopping Rs 1,112 crore to clean the sacred river by improving the quality of effluents being discharged into it at different places.
The proposed project targets three cities of UP - Varanasi, Kanpur and Allahabad - where domestic and industrial discharge into the river is the maximum.
Principal Secretary, Environment and Urban Development, Alok Ranjan, who attended the meeting, said that the talks were fruitful. "A detailed presentation was made about the capacity of Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) and sewage line network in Allahabad, Varanasi and Kanpur. The WB team understood our poblem and have promised to help us," Ranjan told The Pioneer.
A proposal seeking assistance of Rs 527.70 crore for Kanpur (City), Rs 426 crore for Varanasi and Rs 159.20 crore for Allahabad was submitted.
The project focuses on improvement and up gradation of STPs, laying new sewage lines and connecting them with branch lines.
"The Union Ministry of Environment and Forest, has recently revised the effluent standards of STPs. As the existing STPs are not designed for these values, therefore there improvement or upgradation is urgently required to achieve the desired effluent standards," the official said.
Under the proposed project, over Rs 400 crore in Kanpur would be utilised in sewerage work. This includes laying of over 500 km long sewer line in the city. The Sewer line in Kanpur was first laid in 1876 and was renovated for the first time in 1923. The city being the first industrial town of UP, Kanpur witnessed emergence of leather industry. The untreated effluent of these industries were poured directly into the river Ganga.
"The focus would be at Jajmau where three Central Effluent Treatment Plants would be upgraded," the official said. The CETPs were set up in industrial areas where industrial discharge of two or more leather units were treated before their discharge was released into the river.
In Allahabad the scheme proposes to upgrade Sewage Treatment Plant (STPs), built under 'Ganga Action Plan -I' at Naini and Salori areas.
While in Varanasi, besides up gradation of STPs at Dinapur and Bhagwanpur, new branch sewer lines would be laid at BHU basin and Varuna basin areas. Over Rs 200 crore would be spent on strengthening of branch sewer network in Varansi.
- Pioneer, March 4, 2010
Last week, director-designer-writer Muzaffar Ali wowed the Delhi audience with his brainchild, Jahan-e-Khusrau — a three-day festival to commemorate the death anniversary of Sufi saint Hazrat Amir Khusrau.
Now, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), in collaboration with Aga Khan Trust for Culture, Central Public Works Department and the MCD brings its first ever heritage festival — Jashn-e-Khusrau — as part of the Urban Renewal Programme undertaken by ASI and the Trust.
The festival, starting on Thursday, will be set against the resplendent backdrop of Chaunsath Khamba located in Hazrat Nizamuddin Basti and the lawns of the Humayun's Tomb — incidentally, this is where Khusrau started the quwwali music tradition in the 13th Century.
"Monuments are not just tourist destinations. The concerts to be held at heritage sites will have arrangements for almost 2,000 people. I am sure it is going to be an invaluable addition to the city's cultural calendar," ASI Superintending Archaeologist (Delhi) K K Muhammed said.
The festival has invited six groups of Khanqahi quwwals, of which two are from Pakistan. Farid Ayaz, Abu Muhammad and their group from Karachi will perform the repertoire of Khusrau's qalaam on March 10.
Khanqahi quwwals from Uttar Pradesh and Delhi will also participate in the festival. "Khanqahs were hospices for Sufi travellers. The quwwals would then sing in these dargahs. The art form is almost dead now as Khanqahi quwwals are not concert artistes in India. If this art form can be revived through this festival, it will prove a big achievement as they do not have any source of livelihood," says Irfan Zuberi, consultant with Aga Khan Trust for Culture.
- Indian Express, March 4, 2010
A thriving water body with walkways and landscaped greens spread over 12-odd acres. The marshland wasting away along the busy Ring Road in the Mayapuri area is finally on a path that promises all this and more.
For years, the wetlands had been neglected with the authorities turning a blind eye to them. But the irrigation & flood control department of the Delhi government has finally been assigned the task of resuscitating the water body and has submitted a Rs 4.5-crore conceptual plan to develop the water body alone.
It took the intervention of the Delhi High Court to get the government to take stock of the wetland. Though the water body is one without any historical significance, it had emerged on the urban map as a fallout of infrastructure development and needs to be restored. The PWD had dug out soil from this patch of land during the construction of the first flyover at Naraina. Following that, this large ditch over the years grew into a wet area marked by marshy patches.
With the matter reaching the Delhi High Court, the government — which was not even aware of the existence of the wetlands — was asked to take charge of the situation. According to sources, PWD and Delhi Tourism & Transportation Development Corporation refused to take the responsibility for developing the water body. And eventually, the irrigation and & flood control department was entrusted with the task of restoration. On Thursday, the department made a presentation on the proposed revival and development plan before chief secretary Rakesh Mehta.
Located off the busy Ring Road in Mayapuri area, the marshy lands and ditches that have deepened into rainwater pools will now be developed into a protected water body. The total area is spread over 16.527 acre of which 4.5 acre has been handed over to Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Corporation where the Common Effluent Treatment Plant is located.
The remaining area - over 7.73 acre - is wet and marshy with stagnated sewage and rainwater. This is proposed to be developed as a water body.
The revival and development of the water body, including its peripheral path, will cost Rs 4.5 crore. The water area is currently about 2-3m-deep. It is proposed to develop the water body by deepening, removing the wild growth and slush. Also, the water body will be recharged using treated effluent and waste water so that it can be developed into a clean lake. Slide slopes will be made and pebbles will be used to stabilize the flow.
To develop the water body as a tourist attraction, small huts are proposed to be erected along the lake with benches on all the sides. The plan asserts on substantial lighting arrangements around the water body and a landscaping plan will be drawn up to green up the space with attractive plantation.
For the plan to become a reality, the next step is the conceptual and financial approval by the government. After the approvals, PWD would have to hand over the land to irrigation and flood department after making it free of encroachment for execution of the plan, sources said.
- Times City, The Times of India, March 6, 2010
New Delhi: In a boost to the Ganga cleaning programme, the government has cleared projects worth Rs 1,394.11 crore for the states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Uttarakhand.
While the Union government had allocated Rs 500 crore for the 2010-11 fiscal, the empowered steering committee of the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) as part of the first phase of the project has provided Rs 800 crore to Uttar Pradesh, Rs 440 crore to Bihar, Rs 105 crore to West Bengal and Rs 45 crore to Uttarakhand.
The money will be spent by the states on projects that include development of sewer networks, sewage treatment plants and sewage pumping stations, electric crematoria, community toilets, development of river-fronts, resuscitation of canals, and public campaigns. Union environment and forest minister Jairam Ramesh said, "In addition to these measures, we are negotiating a major loan of about $1 billion with the World Bank for Ganga cleaning, which is progressing on track."
The first meeting of NGRBA was held on October 5, last year, with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as chair at which it was decided that no untreated municipal sewage and industrial effluents would be allowed to flow into the Ganga by the year 2020. In December 2009, the authority created the empowered steering committee with the environment and forests secretary as chair to sanction projects. The committee includes members representing other Union ministries, Central Pollution Control Board, Central Water Commission and the states concerned.
Ramesh said, "These measures signify the importance and urgency that we are placing on the river Ganga."
- The Times of India, March 6, 2010
Seasoned conservationist Harsh Vardhan has cautioned the Rajasthan authorities against more tiger deaths on account of man-animal conflict in the environs of the world famous Ranthambhor tiger reserve. About a dozen tigers in Ranthambhor National Park stand the danger of meeting the same fate as the two young tigers that were poisoned to death three days back by villagers after they had strayed out of protected territory, he warned.
"Only a drastic change in the style in conservation strategies at Ranthambhor, which should include soliciting the support of stakeholders in the neighbourhood, would prevent such a disaster," Mr. Vardhan said in a letter to Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. Man-animal conflict had been on in and around the Project Tiger area in Ranthambhor for years, he added.
The State Government in these years had confirmed information about tigers, tigresses and cubs straying out of the park and devouring the domestic cattle of villagers but it did precious nothing to resolve the conflict, Mr. Vardhan said. "What could be the reason that the issue was not settled in the mutual interest of the project and the villagers inhibiting its vicinity when the Government could very well do it?" he wondered.
The letter pointed to acute shortage of staff in the prestigious park. "The upkeep and monitoring of the park have been left to the forest guard level staff whose number too is not adequate and who are not provided even with basic facilities. This is when they are expected to work 24 hours a day. The condition of senior employees among them is well known," he pointed out.
"In the Project Tiger area more attention is paid to the tourists reaching there than the conservation of tiger, India's national animal for which the project is there in the first place," Mr. Vardhan said.
- Hindu, March 6, 2010
Boa Sr last month took away with her one of the oldest languages, Bo, for little had been done to rescue it from the looming extinction threatened by receding numbers of the Great Andamanese tribe.
Boa Sr was the last of the Great Andamanese tribe, which is down to 52 members, who spoke the Bo language.
Jolted by such losses to cultural diversity, the government plans to stop vulnerable languages from falling into disuse by giving them importance in day to day lives. It plans to provide facility for translation of all important government communication into minority languages at different levels of administration.
Government rules, notices and decrees can be sought in any minority language at the level of tehsil, municipality and district. The condition would be that speakers of minority languages form 15% or more of the local population in the said pocket.
The minority affairs ministry may also give priority for research fellowship to work on these vulnerable languages.
While attempts in the past to address the issue have proved a non-starter, Union Budget 2010-11 has announced a scheme to help linguistic minorities. A modest opening allocation of Rs 90 lakh has been made under "promotional activities for linguistic minorities" and the scheme will be formulated this year.
Minority affairs minister Salman Khurshid told TOI, "Most of these languages are spoken either in hilly areas or Assam. Some of them are spoken by a handful of people and others in small pockets of a district."
It is a diverse linguistic demography that has to be catered. The 1961 census identified 1,652 'mother tongues' in the country. However, the 1991 census registered only those spoken by 10,000 or more people. An interesting comment came from Justice Ranganath Misra-headed national commission for religious and linguistic minorities. It said that use of population benchmark in 1990-91 census to register a language was a deviation from the Constitution as it did not recognise such a condition.
The commission pointed to the flaw, arguing 'Mahal' was the only language spoken in Minicoy Island of Lakshadweep but the entire island population was less than 10,000, disqualifying Mahal from a place in the census report.
- Times of India, March 7, 2010
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has said his government would give full attention to revive the past glory of the world famous Dal Lake here. Omar gave this assurance while launching two latest amphibian multi-functional dredgers for cleaning the Dal Lake here today.
These Finnish company made machines cost around Rs 8 crore along with attachments and could venture into such areas of the Dal Lake where no other self-propelled machine had been able to enter. "The Dal Lake, which is the epitome of beauty of the Kashmir valley since times immemorial and has attained world fame as a favourite tourism destination, shall be given full attention by the government so that its past glory is revived," he said.
Omar said a multi-pronged approach was being executed for the conservation of the lake. He said apart from carrying dredging and removal of weeds and land mass in the Dal Lake, sewage treatment plants were under construction to ensure the treatment of sewage from the catchment areas of the Dal Lake. He said there was a need to start afforestation in the Dal catchment areas and also speed up the rehabilitation of Dal dwellers. He expressed hope that with the operationalisation of new machines there would be a good impact on ground and a discernible change would be visible.
- Tribune, March 7, 2010
The New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) is done with its Rs 5.5-crore project of upgrading ancient Hauman Mandir in Connaught Place and Yusuf Zai market in the outer circle. The inauguration will be held on Monday by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.
The renovated mandir has a modern two-level plaza to separate the temple area from the rest of the surroundings. There are designated areas for foodstalls, shoe rooms, churiwalas, phoolwalas, mehendiwalas, prasad distribution and beggars.
Apart from this, a guided entry and exit to the temple, parking provision for about 50 cars at the temple rear and two toilet blocks have been constructed.
The Yusuf Zai market has two pillars in front of each shop as a unique character which is easily identifiable.
- Tribune, March 7, 2010
The Indian Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) has roped in renowned theatre director Aamir Raza Husain to stage shows at Red Fort and Quli Khan tomb in Mehrauli during the Commonwealth Games.
As part of the cultural programmes to be held during the Games, light-and-sound shows will be organized at Red Fort, Old Fort and Quli Khan tomb, said ITDC Director Rajiv Makin. Husain has been assigned the responsibility for the Red Fort and Mehrauli shows, while a film company has bagged the contract for the shows at the Old Fort.
Titled Dasatan-e-Dilli, the 45-minute Mehrauli show will be about the story of the city of Delhi. "This is the first time such a show is being held at the Mehrauli Fort," Makin said. While the Old Fort show is about the six cities of Delhi, the Red Fort show will begin from the Shahjahanabad days to the Mughal era. It will take viewers through the freedom struggle and culminate at Independence.
"The light-and-sound shows at the Red Fort were conceived almost 20 years ago, but technology has changed a lot since then. We will use the latest laser technology and the presentation will be entirely different," said Makin.
The Tourism ministry is planning more such cultural evenings during the Games and will launch a massive publicity campaign to woo tourists during the mega sports event in the Capital.
"We are participating in the ITB Berlin Travel and Tourism Fair to showcase the Commonwealth Games and have rented 870 square feet of area at the fair for setting up a pavillion. It will be themed on be the Commonwealth Games," a ministry official said.
- Indian Express, March 8, 2010
Months after the High Court called for the revival of water bodies based on a public interest litigation (PIL), the Delhi government in a meeting on Thursday approved a Rs 5-crore plan for restoring a 7.7-acre water body in Naraina.
For this project, the government is also contemplating a first-of-its-kind measure: layering the now-defunct water body with a plastic-cellulose layer to avoid seepage.
Pegged as an 'environment friendly' solution, a private company has proposed to the Delhi government to line the layers and the bottom of the water body so that the water stays in. Officials, however, are divided over the use of a plastic component, especially as the High Court has said restoration should be by natural means.
The government is, meanwhile, also speculating the idea of layering just the sides of the water body.
Officials said the depth of the water body, which is presently filled with sewage, will be increased from existing 2 metres to 3 metres. The Flood and Irrigation department decided during the Thursday meeting that the lake will be refilled with treated water from an effluent treatment plant after the depth has been increased.
The final plan is to create a tourist complex in the area complete with a jogging track and water treatment facilities, with the help of the Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation.
The High Court had earlier ordered for a committee to be set up for restoring water bodies with Chief Secretary Rakesh Mehta at the helm.
"We are debating lining the lake with a plastic coat as proposed by DuPont. We are in discussions with the Flood and Irrigation department and hope to take a decision soon. Lining the entire body—walls and bottom — may not be wise, we may settle for only lining the sides," Mehta told Newsline.
"This is also to stabilize the slopes of the water body, and this experiment has been tried in South India," he said.
According to the Chief Secretary, the water body will be fully restored in six months. "We will also create walking and jogging tracks along the water body so it can be a tourist spot."
Another plan of developing a baraat ghar with a parking area, to be constructed by Municipal Corporation of Delhi at a cost of around Rs 4.7 crore, was also mooted during the meeting. With pressure on restoration of the lake, this plan has temporarily been shelved, officials said.
- Indian Express, March 8, 2010
Famous for its eating joints like the Kake Da Hotel and Hyderabadi Biryani House, the Yusuf Zai Market on Connaught Place Outer Circle is ready to unveil its new look. The sheet covering the newly tiled buildings started being unwrapped on Wednesday, revealing the new, shiny exterior.
Post-renovation, uniform signages have replaced the haphazardly placed ones, and pillars have been given a fresh coat of plaster. The biggest change is seen on the building's front - levelled and aligned, with a smooth finish. 'Jaalis' have been carved on the top floor for ventilation, and glass panes have replaced the wooden windows.
"It took a year to finish the project and it has been satisfactory," H S Moti, the president of Connaught Circus Municipal Market Association, said. Work on the project began in December 2007. The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) and the shopkeepers have shared the expenses — each shop pitched in with Rs 30,000 for the renovation. The market has 102 shops.
The Yusuf Zai is one of the nine small markets being restored by the NDMC ahead of the Commonwealth Games. The others are: Shankar Market, Basurkar Market, Begum Zaidi Market, Netaji Nagar Market, Nauroji Nagar Market, Lodhi Road Market, Kidwai Nagar Market (South and Central), and Laxmi Bai Market.
All these markets are more than 50 years old, and have been neglected for long. After renovation, while interiors of the shops will remain untouched, the façade will be revamped by using uniform tiles on the walls and repairing the pillars, wherever present.
The renovation will be on the lines of the Janpath Market and Momo Market in Yashwant Singh Place that were the first markets in NDMC area to be revamped.
"The Yusuf Zai Market will be inaugurated on Monday but work on the footpaths still remains. That and the underground laying of electrical wires will be undertaken after the inauguration," an NDMC official said.
- Indian Express, March 8, 2010
With the Asian Water Bird Census-2010 in Delhi revealing a marked fall in the arrival of migratory birds, the report of the State Coordinator Delhi for Wetlands International South Asia has cautioned that until the general public becomes aware about conservation and the Government takes immediate steps for protection of the Yamuna river basin, the existing habitats of water birds in Delhi will become completely degraded and get converted into dry lands in the near future.
The bird census was conducted at four sites across Delhi during the scheduled period between January 9 and January 24 by AWC Delhi State Coordinator with the help of a volunteer team.
State coordinator T.K. Roy said this year a number of factors affected the arrival of birds. "The winter was late and the arrival of migratory water birds was less both in number and species. Even otherwise the migration rate of water birds has been gradually declining in Delhi region during the last few years.''
Mr. Roy said while overall effects of global warming, climatic changes and degradation of habitats were the major reason behind declining rate of migration of water birds all over the world as per reports of the scientific organisations, in Delhi a number of local factors have also contributed to this worrying trend.
He said among the four Asian Water Bird Census sites in Delhi, the four square km area of Okhla Bird Sanctuary is the only major habitat in the heart of polluted Delhi that still attracts a large number of migratory water birds from diversified species during winter. However, he said, the census found an alarming drop in their numbers this year. Only 112 bar-headed geese came this year compared with 212 in 2009. Similarly the number of gadwal was down to 72 from 302; northern shoveler to 484 from 854; northern pintail 172 instead of 272; only 231 common coot were spotted in place of 355 in 2009; the mixed flock of brown-headed and black-headed gull dropped to 345 from 877 while the Eurasian widgeon came down to 15 from 18.
While the number of grey-leg geese remains almost the same at 411 instead of 416 in 2009, the number of Eurasian spoonbills increased to 16 from six. The only species which showed a marked increase in arrivals was the common teal which increased to 184 from 78 in 2009.
However, the number of common pochard fell drastically to 28 from 320 in 2009; while the tufted pochard also dropped to just four from 236 in 2009. The local resident species of greater flamingos this time suddenly disappeared during January and 20 were later tracked. The other species that gave Delhi a miss this time included avocet, bar-headed and black-tailed godwits, comb duck and garganey among others.
As for the local conditions which adversely impacted the arrival of these birds, Mr. Roy said the water level of the sanctuary was higher during winter and the smaller islands and marshlands remained almost submerged. Due to this most of the common wader species did not camp in Delhi this winter as they could not find suitable habitat to walk on water and feed.
Still some of the waders like wood sandpiper, green shank, spotted green shank, common Redshank, little stint and temminck's stint did arrive in small numbers to areas downstream of the Okhla Barrage.
On the western bank of the Yamuna, Mr. Roy said, while the sanctuary provides a much better habitat to the waders, as it has marshlands, the disturbance caused by the frequent movement of people and cattle kept them away.
"Almost the entire habitat for water birds along the stretch of the Yamuna in Delhi region is badly degrading (except upstream of Wazirabad and Okhla barrage) due to winter cultivation on the river bed and islands and extreme water pollution due to direct flow of industrial and domestic sewage, through canals and drains, into the river. Dumping of non-biodegradable waste into the river and rapid development works pertaining to construction of roads and bridges for the upcoming Commonwealth Games are all affecting the arrival of birds,'' he said.
Though following the census, many of migratory species like northern shoveler, northern pintail, common coot, common teal, gadwal, brown-headed and black-headed gulls and Eurasian spoonbill came to the sanctuary, he said, this was primarily de-migration as the temperatures went up sharply in the early part of February.
- The Hindu, March 8, 2010
The Hanuman Mandir Complex on Baba Kharak Singh Marg in Connaught Place has been given a facelift. Following the redevelopment work of the complex area, a vatika (Hanuman Vatika) with an underground court has also been installed.
In the newly constructed area, dedicated spaces for a food court, flower seller stalls, mehandi stalls and sweet shops beside an exclusive space for shoes and prasad distribution have been worked out. At the lower plaza of the temple complex six additional shops has been constructed.
The façade of shops and stalls of the bangle market situated in the vicinity has also been refurbished. With seating arrangements, walkways and ramps, a plaza in the front of the main temple building has also been constructed.
Delhi Chief Minster Sheila Dikshit on Monday inaugurated the complex in the presence of Parimal Rai, Chairperson, New Delhi Municipal Council and its vice chairperson Tajdar Babar. On the occasion, Karan Singh Tanwar, member of the council including senior officials were also present.
Soon after revealing the renovated complex, Dikshit examined the entire compound including market and praised the efforts of the council. "I hope the old glory of Connaught Place will return once the entire project for renovation of the CP is completed," she said.
The drainage, sewerage and water supply system has been improved beside ornamental lighting facilities around the temple complex. It took almost two years to complete the development work at whopping cost of Rs 5.40 crore. The Mandir complex is connected with a subway through the lower plaza and from Baba Kharak Singh Marg through the upper plaza.
On Monday, the CM also inaugurated Yusufzai Market on the outer circle of Connaught Place. In view of the forthcoming Commonwealth Games-2010, NDMC has taken up façade improvement of various Municipal Markets in its area.
The six-decade-old Yusufzai market has 106 shops and has an aesthetic façade similar to Connuaght Place at a cost of Rs 1.20 crore. Under this renovation, the uniform circular column, glass show window, circular false ceiling, CFL light fittings, jails (perforated concrete slab), and column pedestal in granite has been added.
Later, Dikshit also distributed chip-based smart cards among hawkers and vendors. These biometric smartcards will serve as identity cards, which contain data regarding personal information of each and every vendor. The chip-based identity card-cum-biometric smartcard will curtail unauthorised squatters sitting with fake papers or tampered documents. These smartcards can be read and verified by the smartcard readers.
- Pioneer, March 9, 2010
At a time when the Delhi government is busy sprucing up monuments in time for the prestigious Commonwealth Games, a Mughal-period tomb in Mehrauli Archaeological Park has been encroached by locals and its facade has been painted white. According to conservationists, the tomb is in the list of 92 monuments, identified by Delhi government's state department of archaeology for conservation and protection.
It is unclear when the monument was taken over, but sources said it happened in the last few months. ''The tomb has a very impressive structure with typical Mughal architecture. Now its front exterior painted white, it looks very ugly,'' said a conservationist.
Sources said the monument is government property as the preliminary notification for the structure has been completed. It is also listed by INTACH Delhi Chapter as A in terms of archaeological value. When contacted, a top official of the state archaeology department said the department was in the process of taking legal action to free the monument from unauthorized occupation.
''All monuments identified by the state archaeology department will be protected by the government. Final notification of these monuments is still in process. We do not know who is responsible for the vandalism at this monument but we will be visiting the site shortly and take action accordingly,'' said an official.
There are indications this monument has fallen prey to extremist groups who want it to be handed over to the religious institutions. ''The monument is Wakf Board property as it is a Muslim monument,'' said a person, claiming to be the caretaker of the structure.
Government officials said monuments being taken over in the name of Wakf Board has become a common practice in the city. ''First, there was the problem of prayers being forcibly held in protected mosques. The practice was ultimately stopped by the police. Then in the last several months, there have been incidents of unprotected tombs and mosques taken over by certain groups and painted green and white,'' said an official who did not want to be quoted.
Mehrauli Archaeological Park is high on the priority list of the state government's archaeology department that wants to make it a tourist destination. Apart from ASI-protected monuments like Jamali-Kamali and Rajon ki Baoli, the park has small monuments from Mughal and Lodi Dynasty. ''There are many monuments in the park area and if they are conserved and maintained well, they can become a big draw. It falls in the buffer zone of world heritage site Qutub Minar and people who visit the Minar will definitely be interested in seeing the park if it is maintained properly,'' said a senior official.
- Time City, Times of India, March 9, 2010
Two government bodies, the Delhi State Archaeological Department and the Delhi Wakf Board, are at loggerheads over the fate of several heritage monuments in Delhi.
Of the 39 monuments, for which the former has issued a preliminary notification for pro- tection and conservation, the Delhi Wakf Board has raised objections over 25 heritage structures regarding ownership issues. The Wakf Board claims that these monuments have already been notified as Wakf properties, so the department cannot notify them again.
"We have received objections from the Delhi Wakf Board for 25 of the 39 monuments," con- firmed Archaeology Department's Surveyor Jaspal Singh.
However, he refused to elabo- rate any further. The Delhi State Archaeological Department had issued preliminary notifications under the provisions of the Delhi Ancient and Historical Mon- uments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 2004, for 39 monuments in July, August and September 2009 and January 2010.
The Delhi Wakf Board has raised objections over the tomb of Mohammed Quli Khan and Bagichi Ki Masjid (both in Mehrauli); Haji Langa's Gumbad and a domed building (both in sector 4, R K Puram); Munda Gumbad and tomb of Shaikh Salahuddin Darwesh and Majlis Khana (both in Sheikh Sarai village) among other monuments, sources said.
A Wakf board official, on conditions of anonymity, said, "These and several other properties were notified in 1970 under the Central Wakf Act. If any objections had been raised within one year of the notification, they were taken care of then, but now, these are identified as Wakf properties."
"What we want is that these tombs, gumbads (domes) and mosques should remain as wakf (the granting or dedication of property in trust for a pious purpose) and not be used as mere monuments," he added He also said that the Wakf Board wanted the government to allow regular prayers at all Wakf heritage properties.
Government officials have started ascertaining actual ownership of the land, irrespective of notifications by the Wakf Board or by the Archaeological department.
Director of the State Archaeological Department Keshav Chandra is slated to hear all objections at a pre- decided hearing date soon, thus paving way for a final notification of these monuments.
- Hindustan Times, March 9, 2010
Shrinking habitat for wildlife is making tigers and elephants vulnerable to man-animal conflict. As many as 31 elephants and five tigers have died because of this conflict in the past year, data released by NGO Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI) said.
The issue cropped against last Sunday with two tiger cubs allegedly poisoned to death in a day by villagers in outskirts of Ranthambore tiger reserve.
State Chief wildlife warden R.N.
Mehrotra said at least four cubs have been wandering for the last four months in the outer areas of the reserve and may have killed some goats as prey.
In retaliation the villagers poisoned two cubs.
In January this year, a tiger was allegedly poisoned in Pench Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh and another died of suspected poisoning in Bareilli district of Uttar Pradesh. "Both tigers were victims of revenge killing by villagers," said an environment ministry official.
Data with the environment ministry has shown that forest areas for tigers and elephants have shrunk by 15-20 per cent in the last two decades. India has 88 identified elephant corridors connecting habitats of 27,000 elephants, whose population is rising since 2000.
"The corridors have shrunk forcing elephants to wander into agriculture fields. And, it has caused conflict in Uttarakhand and West Bengal," said A.N.
Prasad, director of Protect Elephants in the environment ministry. The result of this has been death of 31 elephants and injury to many more.
The wildlife experts, however, find a thin difference between revenge killing and poaching. "Last year, a water hole was poisoned in Central India killing 20-25 animals. It was basically an attempt to poach a tiger," said Tito Joseph of NGO WPSI.
Problem of shrinking habitats is more in reserve with good wildlife population such as Corbett Tiger Reserve.
Of the 39 monuments, for which the former has issued a preliminary notification for protection and conservation, the Delhi Wakf Board has raised objections over 25 heritage structures regarding ownership issues. The Wakf Board claims that these monuments have already been notified as Wakf properties, so the department cannot notify them again.
"We have received objections from the Delhi Wakf Board for 25 of the 39 monuments," con- firmed Archaeology Department's Surveyor Jaspal Singh.
However, he refused to elaborate any further. The Delhi State Archaeological Department had issued preliminary notifications under the provisions of the Delhi Ancient and Historical Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 2004, for 39 monuments in July, August and September 2009 and January 2010.
The Delhi Wakf Board has raised objections over the tomb of Mohammed Quli Khan and Bagichi Ki Masjid (both in Mehrauli); Haji Langa's Gumbad and a domed building (both in sector 4, R K Puram); Munda Gumbad and tomb of Shaikh Salahuddin Darwesh and Majlis Khana (both in Sheikh Sarai village) among other monuments, sources said.
A Wakf board official, on conditions of anonymity, said, "These and several other properties were notified in 1970 under the Central Wakf Act. If any objections had been raised within one year of the notification, they were taken care of then, but now, these are identified as Wakf properties."
"What we want is that these tombs, gumbads (domes) and mosques should remain as wakf (the granting or dedication of property in trust for a pious purpose) and not be used as mere monuments," he added He also said that the Wakf Board wanted the government to allow regular prayers at all Wakf heritage properties.
Government officials have started ascertaining actual ownership of the land, irrespective of notifications by the Wakf Board or by the Archaeological department.
Director of the State Archaeological Department Keshav Chandra is slated to hear all objections at a pre- decided hearing date soon, thus paving way for a final notification of these monuments.
- Hindustan Times, March 10, 2010
The students of Kamla Nehru College (KNC) along with residents of Siri Fort Institutional area, neigh- bouring Anand Lok and Gulmohar Park on Monday staged a silent protest against the government's plan to widen the Siri Fort road and the adjacent August Kranti Marg ahead of the Commonwealth Games.
The students also tied ribbons on trees as a mark of protest.
"We think this `Munnabhai' approach will have an effect on the government," said Mishika Singh, a KNC student.
"The government wants to cut trees and widen the roads by making the pedestrian walk- ways narrow.
"Pedestrians are already suffering and they want to take away the right to walk safely on the road from them," said Krishan Sharma, RWA secretary, Asiad Village Society.
"Siri Fort road has five schools and two colleges. We need well-maintained walkways here," he said.
"The authorities call the Commonwealth Games the `green games'. What is so green about these games if you are going to cut down trees and damage the ecology?" said Arpana Caur, a resident of Siri Fort.
- Hindustan Times, March 10, 2010
New Delhi: Jama Masjid, Town Hall and Fatehpuri Masjid finally have government protection to save them from vandals or encroachers. Almost ten years after the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) came out with a public notice of 775 heritage structures, Delhi government on Thursday notified 767 structures in the Delhi Gazette under section 23 of the Delhi Building Bye-Laws, 1983.
Chief secretary Rakesh Mehta told TOI: ''The list has been approved by the government and the LG's office.'' Six properties from the original MCD list have not been included in the notification list as the heritage conservation committee (HCC) has asked for clarifications on them and one building (a hospital) has been deleted from the list.
''Now that these structures are notified buildings, any alteration or repair work there will require the written consent of HCC or other appropriate body. Any demolition proposal for these buildings will require written permission from the MCD commissioner,'' said an official. ''In addition, there are several incentives for owners of private heritage properties like havelis that have been notified. If their property is located in a residential zone, they can use it as commercial office or turn it into hotel after getting HCC's approval. This is subject to the owner agreeing to conserve the heritage character of the building,'' said an official.
The notified list comprises many prominent structures like Mirza Ghalib's in-laws house, tomb of Razia Sultan, Old Delhi railway station, Namak Haram Ki Haveli, Firoz Shah's Mosque, St Stephen's Church, Sunehri Masjid, Gurudwara Sis Ganj, Bhagirath Palace, Anglo-Arabic Public School, City Wall, Shroff Eye Hospital, Jain Temple, Delhi Gate in Najafgarh, Northern and Eastern gateways of Chiragh Dilli, St Jame's Church etc.
''Many of the structures on this list have more or less disappeared or have been vandalized in the last few years. For instance, near Andheria More there are the remains of a Lodi period monument that have been used by locals to construct another building,'' said a heritage conservationist.
The notification has opened new avenues for the listed heritage buildings. ''There is a provision the government may include new structures in this list on a suo motu basis after inviting public opinion and not necessarily have to wait for a recommendation from any agency,'' said a government official.
Experts said this provision would cut down delays in the future. A heritage expert said even though some monuments were included in the list by MCD 10 years ago, they could not be preserved due to delay in notification. They said the capital has lost several monuments due to vandalism and encroachment in the recent years and in future if the government could notify heritage structures on a suo motu basis, delay would be avoided. Officials also said that avenues were being considered to notify the precinct of heritage buildings along with the main structure.
Officials said there is plan to include more havelis in the notification as most of them have unique architecture and considered historically very significant. For this purpose, MCD has identified around 400 havelis in the Walled City. The NDMC heritage list with 141 structures in it was recently notified by the government. With both the agencies lists being notified, many of Delhi's most crucial heritage buildings now have legal protection.
Havelis, tombs, mosques, schools, police stations, gateways, banks, private residences, churches, colleges & hospitals
MCD came out with with heritage list in 2001 and sought public opinion. It took 9 years for the list to be notified MCD is now planning to push for notification of more heritage structures, mostly havelis The gazetted notification leaves scope to notify more buildings suo motu in future without seeking recommendation of any body
- Times City, Times of India, March 12, 2010
JAIPUR: Seasoned conservationist Harsh Vardhan has cautioned the Rajasthan authorities against more tiger deaths on account of man-animal conflict in the environs of the world famous Ranthambhor tiger reserve. About a dozen tigers in Ranthambhor National Park stand the danger of meeting the same fate as the two young tigers that were poisoned to death three days back by villagers after they had strayed out of protected territory, he warned.
"Only a drastic change in the style in conservation strategies at Ranthambhor, which should include soliciting the support of stakeholders in the neighbourhood, would prevent such a disaster," Mr. Vardhan said in a letter to Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. Man-animal conflict had been on in and around the Project Tiger area in Ranthambhor for years, he added.
The State Government in these years had confirmed information about tigers, tigresses and cubs straying out of the park and devouring the domestic cattle of villagers but it did precious nothing to resolve the conflict, Mr. Vardhan said. "What could be the reason that the issue was not settled in the mutual interest of the project and the villagers inhibiting its vicinity when the Government could very well do it?" he wondered.
The letter pointed to acute shortage of staff in the prestigious park. "The upkeep and monitoring of the park have been left to the forest guard level staff whose number too is not adequate and who are not provided even with basic facilities. This is when they are expected to work 24 hours a day. The condition of senior employees among them is well known," he pointed out.
"In the Project Tiger area more attention is paid to the tourists reaching there than the conservation of tiger, India's national animal for which the project is there in the first place," Mr. Vardhan said.
- Hindu, March 12, 2010
FIREFLIES, a small farm about 30 km from Bangalore, has become home to feminism in a gentle, innovative way. "Mother Earth is the deity here," says Aravind Menon, campus resident and a media consultant. He is right. Whether it is the rare Sita Devi Temple, where villagers from all around come to worship the mother goddess as the force that protects their crops and cattle, their plantations and fields, or the various depictions of the 12th century savant Akka Mahadevi in granite, or the more modern and controversial stone and copper works by artists like UK-based Caroline Mackenzie, obvious tributes to feminism in one form or the other are aplenty in these sylvan surroundings.
Menon points out: "There are very few temples dedicated to Sita, the devoted wife of Lord Rama, the hero of the Hindu epic, the Ramayana, while Ram temples are there in plenty." Even social scientists, feminists and filmmakers visualise the character of Sita as ambiguous, to say the least. Sita is seen as a symbol of the devoted wife, the epitome of docility. She is seen as the sacrificing soul who embraces fire and disappears into Mother Earth without a fight. Her sacrifice makes her an "ideal" wife. Her silence is her eloquent fight.
One of the few Sita temples in the subcontinent is in a village in Haryana called Sitamai. Here an old temple site is supposed to be where Sita was swallowed by Mother Earth. Another controversial Sita temple is in central Sri Lanka's Nuwara Eliya. Sita was supposed to have been confined in the Ashoka orchards here by demon king Ravana.
But at Sita Devi Temple at Fireflies, which is small and fronted by a terrace, villagers from all around come to worship the mother goddess — a force that will protect their plantations and fields. Each year, there is a Sita Devi festival that is celebrated on April 22, also commemorated as World Earth Day. Besides that, there is also a tradition of puja once a month on full moon. It is a "re-interpretation and re-experience of Sita" through personal, social and ecological terms, says social scientist Siddhartha and his friends, the brains behind the Fireflies project.
As per mythology, Sita lived in the forest and was an exemplary mother. Today, mothers here seek her help when their children are sick or need guidance. Women also look to her to find a way out of their personal difficulties, or health problems, and farmers seek her blessings so that there is good rain and, hence, a good crop yield.
"The construction of the temple at Fireflies was the result of long interactions and discussions with farmers, women and youth living near the site about the meaning of the nature of Mother Earth. Now we have a place to celebrate Sita Devi as Bhoomi Thai and respect the earth along with her," says Siddhartha, the creator of Fireflies, who believes in sustainable social empowerment and balanced ecology. "Our purpose in re-interpreting the Sita Devi festival is to show that the fervent veneration of the goddess is connected to a fervent practice of agriculture that is sustainable," he adds.
"So, along with calling for a celebration of Sita Devi, there is also a calling to return to the commitment of practicing sustainable agriculture. This includes an overall larger goal of moving towards forms of development with zero carbon emissions. It is also an acknowledgement that Sita Devi is indeed the earth, that our earth is, therefore, sacred and that we cannot continue to despoil her soil, water, air, trees, mountains and glaciers," he emphasises.
The temple aside, the farm also houses a stone sculpture and painting of Akka Mahadevi, a controversial 12th century savant belonging to the Veerashaiva Bhakti movement, known for her poems in Kannada. This defiant woman from Bidar, who had Allama Prabhu as her guru, scoffed at society and tradition, and like nude male sages of that era, refused to cover her body. It is said that so true a devotee was she that Shiva covered her with her own luxuriant hair. In a translation, thus goes one of her famous hymns:
"People, male and female, blush when a cloth covering their shame comes loose;
When the Lord of lives, lives drowned without a face in the world, how can you be modest?
When all the world is the eye of the Lord, looking on everywhere;
What can you cover and conceal?"
Beside Akka Mahadevi in granite, the Fireflies farm has also offered shelter to controversial stone and copper works (2004-05) by UK-based artist Caroline Mackenzie, in collaboration with Indian sculptors T.N. Muniyandi, M. Elumalai, P. Elango, Mahesh, Azad, Viju, Baiju, Ramesh and several others. "The biggest tribute to our work is that they have found such a tranquil home," says Baiju, a resident artist.
Mackenzie's sculpture "Male Parenting" — essentially showing man as the nurturer, protector of the girl child, administering childbirth — proved controversial a few years ago, and found no pedestal in any Indian city. The "Lion Lady" is the woman-lion incarnation — distinct from the man-lion incarnation of Vishnu.
Another work is the "Birth of the Divine Girl," which shows the girl child being sheltered by Bird Man (Garuda) and received by Earth Woman (Bhoo Devi), while the mother and father flank her equally. The artist writes: "The girl child could be seen as being born from the rock," and the man and woman representatives of people "who are receiving a new sense of the consciousness" of self and earth.
- The Tribune, March 14, 2010
New Delhi: Eighteen-year-old Moninuddin was born and brought up in Basti Nizamuddin. But it's been just 18 months since he learnt about the area's historical and cultural significance.
Moninuddin is one of 15 teenagers from the Basti who have been trained to impart local knowledge as tourist guides.
After nearly two years spent identifying the tangible and intangible heritage of the Basti, the young people were trained to conduct heritage walks. It's part of a project launched during the ongoing Jashan-e-Khusrau festival here. The project, called the heritage volunteer programme, is part of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture 's (AKTC)urban renewal plans . The teenagers have formed a selfhelp group — Sair-e-Nizamuddin — which aims to share the Basti's cultural heritage with visitors. They have spent several months studying Delhi's history, enhancing their speaking skills and learning English — thanks to the British Council — in order to be able to interact with foreign visitors. Those who have been on heritage walks are impressed.
New Delhi: Fifteen teenagers from Basti Nizamuddin have been trained to impart local knowledge during heritage walks as part of a project launched during the ongoing Jashane-Khusrau festival here. ''No doubt, this is giving the locals a sense of pride for their homeland and giving them a new means for employment. Their involvement in these heritage walks has added a special, new dimension,'' said Farida Singh, who took part in the walk on Saturday with her friend Pria Devi.
TOI went on one of these heritage walks through the bylanes of the Nizamuddin basti on Saturday morning. The groups were small, with eight to 10 participants, and were led by two young guides. They displayed up-todate knowledge of each monument, a keen interest to ensure that every participant in the walk could understand the history and significance of the structure, and fluent spoken English to interact with foreign participants.
The walk started at Shiv Mandir in the basti and culminated at Nizamuddin baoli. The one-hour walk covered Hazrat Nizamuddin dargah, Kalan Masjid, Atgah Khan's tomb, Chausath Khamba, Mirza Ghalib's tomb and Phoolwali Gali archway, which is the only gateway surviving of the original enclosure wall that once surrounded the settlement. The guides answered questions with insight and managed to keep all the participants interested.
Spanish journalist Elisa Reche, a participant, visiting India to study sufism said the walk gave her a new insight about the history of the basti. ''There is so much history engraved in every stone here. I am glad the local children are making an effort to share this knowledge with others,'' she said. Her thoughts were echoed by another foreign national, Hilda Lubig from Germany, who said: ''The whole concept of the walk being led by young inhabitants of the settlement is an excellent way of encouraging young people to take pride in their roots.''
The local lads were themselves brimming with confidence and enthusiasm. As 20-year-old guide Nabir Khan said: ''I grew up in the basti and spent my childhood playing in the precint of Atgah Khan's tomb or near Nizamuddin baoli. But I never really understood what they represented. Ever since I became a part of this programme, I have been studying and reading all about the basti... I am proud to have been born here.'' Another young guide, Amir Ahmed wants to become an architect and is hoping that being a heritage guide can provide him with some financial help. ''Apart from helping us earn our livelihood and support our families, we now understand where we come from and how enriching is the history of the basti,'' he said.
''It is hoped that the walks will help people of Delhi understand the unique cultural traditions of Hazrat Nizamuddin Basti, especially the Dargah of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya and Dargah of Amir Khusrau. Some of the local guides also participated in an ongoing British Council programme for English Language training and some have now received scholarships from the British Council,'' said Tara Sharma from AKTC. The walks will be held on Saturdays and Sundays at 8 am and on Thursdays at 5 pm till 15 April, and begin to be conducted again in October.
- Times City, Times of India, March 14, 2010
Restoration work on the Centrally-protected Mangi Bridge, a century-old heritage structure connecting Red Fort with Salimgarh Fort, seems to have run into a roadblock.
After bricks from the inner arch of the bridge, located on the busy Ring Road, gave way in April last year, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) had taken up superficial restoration of the bridge. During the process, however, cavities were found inside the bridge and it was decided that conservationists with specialised knowhow need to be called in for the restoration work.
The tendering process, begun in mid-January by the ASI, has failed to bring in any response. The ASI has now extended the last date for the tendering process by three weeks — from March 4 to March 23, a senior ASI official said. "No one came forward to bid for the project, so we had to extend the date. The project is getting delayed because we haven't been able to find the right consultant to take it up," the official said.
According to ASI officials, there is no dearth of funds — an estimated sum of Rs 3 crore has already been sanctioned for the project. Considering the location of the structure, work on the bridge is also important in view of the Commonwealth Games.
"Restoration of this bridge involves specialised technical work. We are looking for conservation architects who have tie-ups with international restoration bodies. The complexity of the work involved here is comparable to that of the Colosseum in Rome. We want the best architects to take it up," K K Muhammed, superintending archaeologist, ASI Delhi Circle, said.
The project has already been delayed considerably, with the ASI having had several rounds of deliberations with the Public Works Department (PWD) and the Traffic Police but failing to arrive at any decision.
Last year, ASI officials maintained that overloaded heavy vehicles plying underneath the bridge scraped off the walls of the inner arch. They also cited the frequent road re-laying work undertaken by the PWD as a reason behind the damage. After the PWD and Traffic Police refused to lower the road level, which would result in blocking of traffic on the Ring Road, ASI had decided to superficially restore the inner arch. During the process, however, cavities were found inside the bridge and the work had to be stopped.
"Internal cavities were found in the bridge during the restoration work we had undertaken. Special steel structures have to be inserted to reinforce the arches, which have to be imported from England," Muhammed added.
Over the last year, while the bridge awaits restoration, part of the road under the bridge stands blocked and traffic diverted.
- Indian Express, March 15, 2010
It's a river that has sustained Delhi over centuries – today it's gasping for breath. It has been defiled, desecrated and left for dead. It has been reduced to being a stinking drain and its sanctity and ecological significance will soon be the stuff of legend. Unless, of course, people join hands with the government to undertake the Herculean task of reviving it and infusing life into its water.
This week, a group of dedicated volunteers under the auspices of the Art of Living Foundation will make a humble beginning by launching a citizens' movement for cleaning the river's ghats. You can join them in an act of penance and exhort others to do so. The Commonwealth Games deadline was never achievable for this river that's our lifeline. It will need faith and persistence to stay the course and ensure that the government gets all the support it needs in its endeavour to clean the river.
It has pinned its hope on the interceptor sewage system which will bring results by 2014. Hopefully, it will reduce the pollution load in the river and take us one step closer to keeping the river alive. In fact, till Wazirabad – the point at which it enters Delhi – the river is not in such a pathetic state. This is where it is diverted into two main canals which take its water to various treatment plants for supplying it to the city.
Having extracted whatever we could from the river, we mount a scandalous assault on it all through its 22-km journey across the Capital. Sewage and industrial effluents are dumped into the river by numerous drains that carry the city's filth. According to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi is single-handedly responsible for about 70% of Yamuna's pollution. The river suffers because on its banks is a large city with insufficient sewage treatment infrastructure, poor maintenance of existing treatment plants and sewage carrying channels and no fresh water for most part of the year.
The interceptor system is pending clearance with the cabinet and work can kick off earliest by July, say officials. It would take at least three years to complete it. Delhi, therefore, cannot expect a clean Yamuna till about 2014. Ramesh Negi, CEO, Delhi Jal Board (DJB) says this is the most viable solution to the sewage problems till the entire city is not connected via sewerage.
In April 2001, the Supreme Court had asked Delhi government to ensure that the dissolved oxygen (DO) level in the water be a minimum of 4 mg/litre by March 31, 2003. Seven years after that deadline, large parts of the river in the city have no DO. Faecal coliform levels run into crores at several points, against a maximum of 5,000/100 ml, recording a high of 2,300 crore/100 ml where the river meets the Shahdara drain (June 2009). This indicates the presence of a massive amount of faecal matter in the water. This when about Rs 1,400 crore has already been spent in trying to clean the Delhi stretch.
DJB, the implementing agency in the city for the Yamuna Action Plan, has planned an expenditure of around Rs 4,000 crore for the interceptor project that envisages laying of parallel drains along the three main drains of the city — Najafgarh, Shahdara and Supplementary. The parallel drains will intercept the outflow of all small drains that would otherwise meet the main drains, carry the sewage to sewage treatment plants (STP), treat it and only then allow it to flow into the river. ''This includes an 11-year maintenance contract with Engineers India Limited (EIL), the implementing agency for the project. This way we are ensured of quality work,'' said Negi.
There are those who believe that the plan is flawed. Ranjit Kumar, the amicus curiae in the case, told TOI that against an average flow of 2,100 million litres per day (mld), EIL came up with an estimate of 1,600 mld. This too was the dry weather flow and the monsoon flow was much more. ''The maximum flow received in August 2008 was 3,400 mld. Out of 188 drains, the project also talks of intercepting only 107 which would mean that only 1,148 mld of sewage would be carried to STPs instead of 2,207 mld. DJB has accepted in court that only 71% of the drains will be intercepted while 85% of the sewage generated will be treated,'' he said.
This is what DJB claimed in court: ''It's a fact that even this project will not restore the river to Class C bathing quality and it can only be possible if adequate quantity of fresh water is released by the Upper Yamuna River Board.'' The biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) will come down from 41 to 12 but not improve to the required level of 3 mg/l. Negi says that till the time a dedicated sewerage master plan for the city is ready, DJB ''will ensure that sewage is treated to a level of 5-10 mg/l of BOD, against the parameter of 20. All new STPs will be created with this in mind.''
Fresh water flow is not something that can be wished for easily. Rajendra Singh, India's waterman, says that in 1995 five states had signed a treaty to ensure that 10 cumec water from Hathnikund should be released into the river as 'ecological flow'. However, the city's growing demand and decreasing groundwater levels have left it entirely dependent on the Yamuna. To make matters worse, the DJB-maintained pipe network is in such a poor shape that the city loses about 54% of its treated water through leakages and pilferage. ''Delhi's per capital consumption of water is much more than the average and most of it is being consumed by the rich. Water should be distributed more equitably. There is no utilisation of waste water either. River and sewer should be kept separate and treatment plants should be decentralised,'' said Singh.
The city does have sewage infrastructure that is not being utilised fully or very intelligently. Delhi has 40% of the total installed sewage treatment capacity in the country despite which the 'treated' sewage that enters the river does not meet standards. Common effluent treatment plants are also working under capacity, allowing a massive amount of toxic industrial waste to enter the river unchecked. ''Delhi records about 3,600 mld sewage generation while its treatment capacity is 2,230 mld. Of this, only 1,478 mld is being utilised. At various places, drains carrying treated sewage are met with drains that carry untreated sewage. These are re-treated at another point and put back in the drain where more untreated sewage mixes with it. So much money is being wasted on treating and re-treating the same sewage with no result to show,'' says Sunita Narain, director, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).
DJB officials contend that the city's population has grown beyond anyone's imagination. Several illegal and unauthorised colonies exist where there is no sewage system. It is in the process of connecting such colonies but that process would take at least a few decades.
''Only about 60% of the city is sewered and most of the waste is going into drains directly,'' said Negi. ``In the present scenario, about 30-35% cannot be sewered at all. We are in the process of coming out with a Master Plan 2031 for sewage which will address this problem. This separately would need an investment of Rs 15,000-20,000 crore. But if we want our system to work, we need an efficient solid waste management system in the city for which other civic agencies would also have to pitch in.''
None of the other agencies has taken its role in cleaning the river seriously either. The high court had mandated creation of 13 enclosures for immersion of idols and pooja samagri but three years down the line, only one has been made.
Under YAP-III, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, with a budget of Rs 34.5 crore, is going in for work like mapping of the river to determine which stretch requires most attention. However, experts say that it is time for concerted effort on the entire river and not piecemeal efforts that do more harm than good.
- Times City, Times of India, March 15, 2010
A battle is on in Aizawl between the INTACH and the Assam Rifles over two British cannons, supposed to be of early nineteenth century vintage, which have been shifted out of the city where it had been adorning the Assam Rifles Quarter Guard since 1893.
"The two field cannons are Aizawl's heritage and part of the history of establishment of this city. They have been missing since the 1 Assam Rifles Battalion moved out of here," said P Rohmingthanga, convenor of INTACH's Mizoram chapter.
However, Major Rajat Bhatt of the Assam Rifles Mizoram Range headquarters said the cannons were "intact and safe" with the 1 Assam Rifles which is currently in Tuensang in Nagaland. "The cannons came from somewhere and were kept in the Quarter Guard that belongs to the Assam Rifles. How can they become part of Aizawl's heritage?" he asked.
But Rohmingthanga, a former IAS officer, has his contentions: "We are grateful to the Assam Rifles for having built the Quarter Guard, Commandant's Bungalow and the old barracks that today constitute part of Aizawl's heritage. But that does not mean that the cannons were war trophies of its 1st Battalion," he complained.
While the Home Ministry had earlier written to Yogendra Narain, member secretary of INTACH, that the cannons were property of the British Indian Army and thereafter of 1 Assam Rifles, INTACH's Mizoram chapter refuses to accept this. "The cannons were installed in its Quarter Guard by the head of the civil administration and not by the then Commandant or any British military or Army officer of the Lushai Hills MP Battalion. It is also crystal clear that it does not belong to the 1 Assam Rifles that came into existence here much later, in 1917," Rohmingthanga said.
It was Lt Col J Shakespear, a British Army officer who, as the first district head of the then newly-created Lushai Hills district, had got them up from Lunglei (in south Mizoram) after they were fished out of the sea near Chittagong port. Lt Col Shakespear, in his book The Making of Aijal, written in 1939, had said that while the two cannons were part of the armament of a ship of war stationed at Chittagong, they were thrown overboard in 1857 to ensure they did not fall into the hands of the mutineers of the 34th Native Infantry. "Later, these were fished out and fitted with wheeled carriages and eventually found their way to Rngamati, whence they were sent to Lunglei during the troubled times of 1892. It struck to me that these aged guns, one of which from it date might have been fired at Waterloo, would for a suitable addition to the memorial of the great Queen, so I had brought them over (to Aizawl)," Lt Col Shakespear wrote. The cannons were placed flanking the Queen Victoria Memorial Porch in the Quarter Guard, the oldest building of Aizawl.
"The Assam Rifles, the oldest paramilitary force in the world, is setting up a museum in Shillong to mark its 175th year of establishment, and the two cannons are being shifted to the museum soon," said Major Bhatt. But Rohmingthanga is determined and says he will continue to fight till Aizawl gets its canons back.
- Indian Express, March 15, 2010
Twenty-five years on and Rs 2,000 crore later, the ambitious project to clean up the Ganga has not yielded the desired results. The govern- ment, however, hasn't lost its zeal.
In its submission before the Supreme Court, the Centre has claimed that it proposes to spend Rs 15,000 crore over the next 10 years to ensure that no untreated sewage or industrial effluent flows into the Ganga.
Additional solicitor general Mohan Jain told the bench headed by Chief Justice K.G.
Balakrishnan that the government was committed to its mission to clean the river.
The government also said it had sought assistance from the World Bank, which has "in principle" agreed to support the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) as its priority project.
The Centre has approved new projects worth Rs 1,400 crores that include setting up of sewage treatment plants and aims at water conservation.
The extension of the Ganga project, earlier known as the Ganga Action Plan, and investment worth crores of rupees is despite the fact that the Centre has failed to control the rising pollution levels in rivers.
During a discussion on the project early this month, the ministry of environment and forests admitted there were shortcomings.
The report submitted before the Supreme Court admits that even after setting up 58 STPs in 73 towns, 2,900 million litres per day (mld) of municipal sewage generated from major towns along the Ganga remain untreated.
Of the total expenditure Rs 900 crore was spent in set- ting up the STPs that have a treatment capacity of just 1,025 mld.
The government has accepted that coliform levels in the river are "unacceptably high".
- Hindustan Times, March 15, 2010
On March 9, a social worker, Rishipal Badhana, sent a written complaint to Assistant Commissioner of Police (Ambedkar Nagar) Mahipal Singh, alleging that Station House Officer of Sangam Vihar, Satpal, allowed illegal operations inside the sanctuary.
On ACP Singh's instructions, Inspector Rajkumar Shah from Ambedkar Nagar police station conducted the raid.
Post-raid, a case under Mines and Minerals Act was registered the same day (Newsline has a copy of the FIR).
According to a highly placed source, subsequent investigations have found a well-networked operation in place.
A senior investigating officer said the initial probe found illegal mining of Badarpur stone in Haryana's Anangpur area, just next to the sanctuary, and transported through Asola Sanctuary to Gupta Colony in Sangam Vihar.
The investigating officer said: "The mining is done about 10 feet from the sanctuary walls, in Anangpur. The Badarpur stone is then loaded on camels, as vehicles like tractors and tempos are not allowed inside the sanctuary, and transported to Delhi.
"The miners have broken the sanctuary's boundary wall on the Sangam Vihar side — here, the illegally mined stones are loaded on trucks and tractors and taken to Gupta Colony for storage."
They are transported and sold to builders from there, the investigating officer added.
Questioning of the arrested truck driver and further probe into the mining racket have revealed that trees were cut and Badarpur stones were mined and transported in a similar fashion from within Asola Sanctuary.
Forest officials said operators now use unmanned camels to transport the quarried stones through the sanctuary after a few persons manning the animals were caught in the recent past. The arrested persons were let off by court with penalty, officials said.
According to the investigating officer, while several camels have been impounded, the MCD did not take in the animals.
A "helpless" senior forest official at Asola Sanctuary said: "We have 12 guards posted in the whole sanctuary, while we need at least 159. We control what we can but the rest is a law and order problem and we have written to the police on several occasions but no action has been forthcoming till date."
* On March 4, 2008, then ranger in Asola Sanctuary, Ajay Sharma, wrote to Sangam Vihar police about illegal activities inside the sanctuary
* On March 12, 2009, ranger Dharam Singh wrote that some residents of Anangpur, Haryana, were cutting trees inside the sanctuary and transporting them on camels
* On March 25, 2009, ranger Singh wrote again, saying he suspected illegal traders of wood attacked a security guard inside the sanctuary for complaining against them
(Newsline has copies)
* Extra-deep mining of Badarpur stone has reduced the water table in nearby areas, including Asola Sanctuary
* On May 8, 2009, the Supreme Court ordered suspension of all mining activities - both quarrying of building materials known as 'minor' mining, and traditional minerals, known as 'major' mining - in the 448-sq km, or 1,500 hectares, of Aravalli range in Faridabad, Gurgaon and Mewat districts of Haryana.
- Indian Express, March 16, 2010
Paravur (Kerala): The dilapidated Jewish Synagogue in North Paravur, Kerala, one of the oldest in India, is set for restoration.
"Work will commence this week and about Rs. 63 lakh will be spent to restore it," said K.K. Mohanan Pillai, Director, Kerala State Department of Archaeology.
The date of arrival of the Jews in the Malabar Coast has not been precisely established yet. Some accounts date it back to the days of King Solomon, while others place it in the 1st century CE.
North Paravur, a small town about 20 km north of Kochi, was one of the places where the Cochin Jews, as they were collectively known, settled.
The Cochin Jews like the other Jews in India never faced any anti-Semitism and were an integral of part of the multi-cultural milieu. As the 10 {+t} {+h} century copper plates of Bhaskara Ravi Varman indicate, some of them even enjoyed special privileges.
The early synagogues built in Kerala are now lost and only those built after the 16 {+t} {+h} century survive. Studies state that there were eight Jewish communities in Kerala and each had their own synagogues. The extant ones could be found in Kochi, Ernakulum, Mala, North Paravur and Chennamangalam. The Mattancherry synagogue in Kochi is the most well known of them.
The Paravur synagogue located on the Jew Street of the town was built in 1615 CE, but traditional accounts hold that it was built on the ruins of an early synagogue constructed in 1165 CE, making it the earliest. The services in the Paravur synagogue continued till 1988.
The International Survey of Jewish Monuments (ISJM), an independent, non-profit educational organisation, reports that the original bimah (an elevated wooden platform from which the Torah is read) and the ark (a chest or cupboard in the synagogue where the Torah scrolls are kept), were taken from Paravur to Israel in 1995.
Though the Paravur synagogue was declared a protected monument in 1996, the structure was not well maintained. It was only last year that the Department of Archaeology took possession of it, government officials told The Hindu.
The Jews started immigrating to Israel in 1949, after the State of Israel was formed. By 1954, most of them had moved out of Kerala severely affecting the upkeep of the Jewish heritage structures.
The idea to conserve Jewish heritage sites in Kerala was mooted in the 1990s and the Chennamangalam synagogue was the first major site to be renovated by the Department of Archaeology in 2005.
"The restoration of Paravur synagogue which is expected to be completed in September is part of the Muziris Heritage Project," says S. Hemachandran, Superintending Archaeologist and Special Officer, Muziris Project.
- Hindu, March 16, 2010
Just 22km upstream from the Okhla barrage, the Yamuna is a different river. Upstream of Wazirabad in the north, it is a big, healthy river in which fish swim and to which birds come for water. Over the next 22km, it gets reduced to a giant sewer because of a number of reasons, the biggest being the city puking out tones of its refuse into the river.
We, however, look at a different aspect here — an aspect often overlooked in endless (and often insincere) debates on saving the Yamuna. It is pillage of the river sands, often so rapacious that the deep channels caused by mechanized illegal mining are leading to the Yamuna changing its course at certain places. If the process goes unchecked, the river might shift eastwards, triggering a disaster.
Just before the river reaches Wazirabad, at Palla village, where mining is rampant, the river has shifted, inundating land that was earlier being used for farming. This is well known and acknowledged by authorities on both side of the river, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. But neither take action under the garb of jurisdiction issues.
Activists say it's not just petty matters of jurisdiction, but the fact that illegal sand mining is today a multi-crore business that has led to official inaction. The sand mafia carts away truckloads of sand daily that are sold to the construction companies. And it all happens in front of everyone's eyes.
Huge machines are stationed at the edge of the river to dig out sand not only from the banks but also from within the river. In the Palla area, a temporary bank was recently created in the middle of the Yamuna to trap sand, effectively shifting its flow more towards the Delhi border and creating a small sand island in the middle of the river.
Why the officials still don't act, and why no one at the top does not step up to settle disputes of jurisdiction, if any, is a mystery. Just how ridiculous the situation is can be gauged from the fact that on a day when a bunch of miners were finally caught, it took more than seven hours to figure out whether they were to be booked by Delhi or UP.
Says Manoj Misra of Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan, ''Usage of machinery is causing a change in the natural topography. Deep digging and drilling leads to formation of ponds and when the river floods at any point of time, there is a danger of it changing its course. This can prove to be catastrophic for the city infrastructure as well.''
- Times of India, March 17, 2010
Everyone, including every government agency, is committed to save the Yamuna. And yet, everything is being done to strangle the already gasping river. This schizoid behaviour is manifest in virtually every dealing of ours with the river. We take here just one aspect — how we are dealing with the Yamuna's vast floodplains.
When you cross the bridge over the river and drive east towards Ghaziabad, you go past pleasing green fields. These are the floodplains that extend right along the river. When the rains are heavy during monsoons, much of the floodplains get inundated. Otherwise, it's beautiful but also very tempting for real estate developers to grab a piece of it, build embankments, and create acres of prime property.
Guess who has done exactly that and shown the way to the real estate sector? It's none other than the government. The DDA, for instance, helped the Akshardham Temple to come up without initial clearances, despite protests by civil society groups. A bandh was constructed to restrict the spill of the flooded river and ensure that the crores spent on the temple would not be washed away when the river flooded.
Later, using the bandh as a shield, the DDA went ahead and earmarked still more space right behind the temple to build the Commonwealth Games Village. In other words, one act of callousness, committed perhaps in the name of faith, became the basis for another such act, which in turn could now lead to several such acts of callousness. And before we realize what's happening, the floodplains would be gobbled up by land sharks.
Is protection of the Yamuna floodplains just a hobby horse of the ''loony'' green fringe? Is it at all necessary to have the verdant fields in the middle of the city when the space can be used up to build much-needed housing? Yes, according to experts, for the sake of the Yamuna. For the river, this is apparently a matter of life and death.
Unlike the Thames which has perennial flow, the Yamuna is a seasonal river. In summer months, it shrinks to a thin stream, but in the monsoons it can swell up into a broad, mighty river. The floodplains allows it to wax and wane; they allow the Yamuna breathing space which would taken away if both sides of the river is shored up by concrete banks as is the case with the Thames, and as has been proposed by the venerable Metro Chief, E Sreedharan.
And it's not just giving the river breathing space. The vast floodplains play a crucial role in allowing groundwater recharge. Apart from the Himalayan snow melt and rain water, rivers of the Gangetic plains, including the Yamuna, get replenished by groundwater flowing through aquifers. These moisten up the layer under the river bed — which is like a wet rolled towel — to impart it steady water flow and good health.
These aspects are being overlooked by government agencies and it would appear, wilfully. Manoj Misra of the Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan says that in the three years that it took to finalize the site for the Commonwealth Games Village, several studies were conducted and almost all were initially against the project on the proposed riverbed site.
''However, in a remarkable flip flop, the DDA managed to get the required go-ahead by even the ministry of environment and forest (MoEF) which had initially expressed apprehension over the site. Certain other permissions, like those from the Central Ground Water Authority and the Yamuna Standing Committee, were never received. The Nagpur-based National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), which had earlier said that no construction should be permitted on the river bed, in January 2008 went against its own report to say that the bandh created for the Akshardham Temple was sufficient to prevent flooding of the area,'' said Misra.
Later on, DDA also classified the river bed as zone ''O'' in its Master Plan 2021, the objective of which was to augment water supply, contain pollution and have eco-friendly ''green'' development. However, with respected figures like E Sreedharan asking for the river to be channelled between two embankments like the Thames, the government's resolve has weakened.
Experts say enough damage has already been done by the government's uninformed approach towards the floodplains, and the time has come for a zero-tolerance policy towards encroachments on it. Experts are calling for the entire floodplain to be notified so that each successive government does not have the leverage to play around with the floodplain's land use.
- Times City, Times of India, March 17, 2010
More than three weeks after the Delhi Urban Arts Commission (DUAC) asked the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to stop work on a multi-level under- ground parking on Sher Shah Suri Marg, work continued in full steam on Tuesday.
DMRC had given an under- taking in a meeting with DUAC on February 17 to stop work and first go ahead with plans for safety of an unidentified Mughal-era tomb.
"Preparatory and mobilizing work" was what the DMRC described as the deep digging and iron grid work at the site.
Prompted by the possible threat to the unidentified tomb due to heavy-duty drilling and digging, the DUAC had visited the site on February 10. Pointing out that work goes on at the site unabated, Ratish Nanda, a conservation architect and a DUAC member, said, "The parking and the access as designed will cause irreparable damage to both, a 15th century monument and the Lutyen's Bungalow Zone."
"It is shocking that the con- tractors -- DMRC -- continue to construct illegally and despite strong reservations from NDMC and DUAC," Nanda fumed.
DMRC officials said, "We are ready to do whatever the archaeological experts suggest for preserving and conserving the monument." As far as "stopping" work is considered, the DMRC officials maintained, "DUAC observations related to requirements of clearances from other bodies such as Central Vista Committee, Chief Fire Officer, the Archaeological Survey of India and the Heritage Conservation Committee (HCC). We already have these."
Sources in the Heritage Conservation Committee said the project proposal that was given a go-ahead restricted to only the multi-level parking.
"The proposal for underpass never came to us," the sources added.
High Court's Registrar General Rakesh Kapoor said, "The High Court is concerned only about NDMC's approval and not with anybody else."
"Once the NDMC gives per- mission, our contractor can go ahead. There is no need for DUAC or UTTIPEC permissions," he added.
The Officer on Special Duty in the Lt Governor's office, Ranjan Mukherjee, said the proposal was considered twice and given a clearance in Delhi Development Authority's Technical Committee in May 2005 and July 2008 respectively.
An NDMC spokesperson confirmed, "The plan for the underpass is being forwarded to the UTTIPEC soon."
But even when the proposal remains to be approved, there has been some digging going on bang in the middle of the road on Sher Shah Suri Marg.
"This work is not for under- pass but for shifting utility services," defended DMRC officials.
- Hindustan Times, March 17, 2010
Hyderabad: Is the Nazri Bagh Palace, home of Hyderabad's last Nizam Osman Ali Khan, up for grabs ? Highly placed sources indicate that the grandson of the last Nizam of Hyderabad, Mukarram Jah, was in the city last week to strike a deal to sell off the 100-year-old palace, a notified heritage monument. Jah was in talks with at least three parties, city-based R R Masala and MBS Jewellers and a construction firm from Mumbai, during his week-long visit, sources told TOI.
Jah - who now lives in Turkey - has been planning to sell the 5-acre property for some time now. Going by the market rate, the land value alone of the entire palace premises is estimated at Rs 100-150 crore, but industry observers say heritage buildings fail to fetch a good price given that the price of restoration is high and the structure cannot be demolished. For those not familiar with Hyderabad, Nazri Palace is not in the old city – it's located in the congested Abids area.
While the present deal has not been finalised, sources say that Jah, during his visit, held negotiations with Md Hameed of R R Masala but no papers were signed. The same sources reveal that a deal had almost been struck with a Mumbai-based construction firm.
The companies bidding for the Nazri Bagh palace refused to confirm their interest in the property. An official of RR Masala said that while the owner was in the business of converting palaces into function halls, he hadn't bought the Nazri Bagh palace as yet. The owner of MBS Jewellers, Sukesh Gupta, couldn't be reached for comment.
Hyderabad: The famous Nazri Bagh Palace may be up for sale. Hyderabad's last Nizam Osman Ali Khan lived in the palace, built in 1909, until he died in 1967. The last Nizam held court in this palace and it was then converted into the office of the Nizam's private estate. The Nazri Bagh palace was known by the curtain that draped its entrance. This curtain, though tattered with time, had remained an important part of this palace.
Historians say this curtain was lifted each time the Nizam went out and drawn when he was inside the palace. This was the western part of the much larger King Kothi palace complex that currently stands unchanged, with the eastern block (of King Kothi palace) converted to a maternity hospital and a part of it demolished about 30 years ago.
Historians and aides of the Nizam say that Mukarram Jah's worth would still be in millions of dollars or more if one were to consider his assets alone.
- Times of India, March 18, 2010
The sealing drive of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has been postponed for a while for the walled city. The drive, however, is expected to continue in rest of the city.
The walled city has been declared protected in the Master Plan 2021 and sealing cannot be undertaken in the area unless its redevelopment plan is finalised.
"The area was given three years' exemption for its redevelopment which has already ended. The appeal for the extension of the exemption will be made again," said Deep Mathur, MCD spokesperson.
The MCD has sealed over 19,000 properties during its various phases of sealing since 2006. Till December 2009, it has collected Rs 499.35 crore as conversion charges, Rs 225.88 as parking charges and Rs 3.04 as registration charges from traders and shopkeepers running their business on notified roads. A total of 2,538 stretches were declared mixed land-use and commercial stretches under the MPD 2021.
"We have succeeded to a large extent, but are giving the traders a chance to clear their dues, as our focus is to collect conversion charges rather than sealing properties. The traders are paying the charges after getting notice from us," said a senior MCD official.
- Tribune, March 18, 2010
Activists and protestors in the capital will have to look for a new place to hold protests as in its encroachment removal drive, the New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) today removed most of the tents at Jantar Mantar.
"The permanent tents that had been encroaching space for a long time on the footpaths have been removed. No more encroachment in the name of protests will be allowed," said NDMC spokesperson Anand Tiwari.
Jantar Mantar has been giving face to protests, rallies and dharnas in the national capital for over 15 years now. But over time, it also ended up as a shelter for certain groups who have been staying here for years now.
As many as 25 permanent groups are currently stationed at Jantar Mantar, apart from the floating population that comes for short-term protests.
However, those stationed at Jantar Mantar for short-term protests have not been asked to move.
Tiwari said, "These people have been asked to go back. We have made no provisions to relocate them. These were land encroachments and I see no point in reallocation of space to them."
Madhav (name changed), a shopkeeper at the Jantar Mantar, said, "It was high time for these tents to be removed. It all began with setting up small tents outside the street pavements and slowly household luggage found space inside—right from bedsheets, carpets, and clothes to even kitchenware. There were some who would cook on their own, while most of them ate at Bangla Sahib Gurudwara."
"Jantar Mantar should remain a symbol for freedom of expression and not for encroachments plaguing the footpaths," he added.
- Tribune, March 19, 2010
Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage has been selected by the jury for the EMPI-Indian Express Indian Innovation Awards for 2010.
The jury unanimously decided to award the gold trophy to INTACH.
A citation for doing "exemplary innovative work" will also be given.
- Hindu, March 20, 2010
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has expressed concern over more and more species being entered into the list of endangered animals and exhorted the state governments to revamp their structures to enhance conservation.
Chairing the fifth meeting of the National Board of Wildlife (NBWL) at his official residence on Thursday evening, the Prime Minister mooted the formation of a conservation foundation in each of the protected areas (PAs) on the lines of the tiger foundations being set up in each tiger reserve, Dr Bibhab Kumar Talukdar, a member of NBWL, told The Tribune today.
The meeting also decided to have separate departments of forest, wildlife and environment within the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF).
Union Environment and Forest Minister Jairam Ramesh informed NBWL members that the ministry was open to providing 50 per cent of the salary of newly recruited frontline staff in the states for the next five years, but state governments would have to bear the remaining expenditure.
- Tribune, March 21, 2010
What should and can be done to clean the Yamuna? What is the strategy for business-unusual so that we can spend more money but this time get returns of a living and breathing river.
One, we need to change the art of pollution control. First, we must understand that rivers need water to assimilate our waste. Today, Delhi takes water from the river, upstream of Wazirabad, and returns only sewage to it. Between the two barrages — Wazirabad, when the river enters Delhi till Okhla, where it exits Delhi — there is no water. There are only some 17 drains that bring sewage into the river.
Even if we were to treat every drop of waste before it reaches the river, it will do nothing. The river must have water to dilute waste. And to live.
There are two ways for Delhi to get water in the river. One, it can demand that Haryana should give it more water. But this will be difficult. All cities, up or downstream, do what Delhi does. They take every drop of water the river has and give it only their waste. All cities are desperate for water.
The second option is that Delhi can begin to reduce its own water demand, so that it can allow water to flow in the river. This can be done. Delhi, today has the highest water availability in the country — already over 250 litres per person per day. The richest cities of the world, like those in Denmark, have roughly 110 litres per person per day.
Delhi needs so much water because it wastes half the water in distribution. This must be stopped or at least minimized. But importantly, money for river cleaning must incorporate this target — how much will Delhi do to reduce water use. Water is part of the sums of waste.
This also means we have to use less water in our homes, so that we discharge less waste. We have to be part of the solution to the river. Remember our flush is enjoined to the Yamuna.
Then we must change the science of river cleaning. We know the river will not be clean till we treat all the sewage of the city. And the only way we can treat the sewage is by making solutions more affordable. In the current situation, Delhi government does not even recover the cost of water supply, forget sewage disposal. We must demand technologies that we all can pay for. This will drive the change in approach.
The second agenda is to fully utilize the capacity of our sewage treatment plants. Delhi has capacity to clean 2330 million litres of sewage each day —enough to treat 70-90% of current waste, depending on the estimate you take. This will mean bringing waste to the plants, by lifting it from open drains, not just waiting to build new ones or building and repairing more drains. The hardware approach needs to go.
The third agenda is connected and critical. The treated effluent must not be put back into the same open drain, which carries the untreated waste of the majority. It must be reused and recycled, as far as possible locally so that costs of pumping are reduced.
Today, we spend huge money in first pumping sewage long distances for treatment and then waste this effort by dumping the cleaned water in unclean drains. In other words, sewage must be reused in gardens, in lakes or in industry. Sewage treatment plants must be built only when they have planned for reuse.
Just consider. Today, sewage is treated at the Yamuna Vihar plant in east Delhi and disposed of in the drain carrying untreated waste outside the plant. Then the same waste is treated further down in the Kondli treatment plant. Cleaned effluent is then dumped in a drain, which flows past the new growth colonies of Noida with huge discharge. By the time it reaches the river, there is sewage, no water. Get serious, for heaven's sake.
Fourth, we must treat sewage directly in the open drains that criss-cross the city. Instead of waiting for every open stormwater drain to go underground and disappear, the system will ensure all waste is treated and cleaned as it flows through the city. This would mean using innovative technologies for bio-remediation green plants and oxidation to decompose and degrade sewage. Get real.
Fifth, we should build sewage treatment plants as close to the bank of the river to treat what remains in the drains. This will need technologies, which need less land to treat sewage. The design is not to discharge anything but treated effluent in Yamuna.
All this will require our involvement. We must demand an effective action plan for cleaning our river. Never forget, we all live downstream.
1. The river must have water to dilute waste
2. Delhi can demand water from Haryana, reduce its own water demand (availability 250 litres per person daily, highest in country)
3. Delhi must stop/ minimize wasting half its water in distribution
4. Delhiites must use less water at home, so that they discharge less waste
5. Change science of river cleaning by making solutions more affordable. Must demand technologies that we all can pay for
6. Fully utilize capacity of sewage treatment plants. Need to lift sewage from open drains instead of building more infrastructure.
7. Treated effluents must not be put back into open drain which carries untreated waste of majority. It must be reused and recycled as far as possible locally
8. Treat sewage directly in open drains with innovative technologies should build sewage treatment plants close to the bank of the river to treat what remains in the drains
- Times City, Times of India, March 21, 2010
Lying neglected for years, the Mehrauli Archaeological Park might now be developed and integrated with the Qutab Minar, a World Heritage Site, and the adjoining monuments in Mehrauli to form a larger heritage zone.
At a meeting of the Delhi Urban Heritage Foundation (DUHF), chaired by the Lieutenant-Governor Tejendra Khanna, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) is learnt to have agreed to transfer the 125-acre plot to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for development and maintenance.
The DUHF, set up by the DDA in 1999 to frame and implement policies for conservation of the city's built and natural heritage, has been considering ways of developing the park for sometime.
According to sources, the ASI had written to the L-G expressing interest in taking up the project.The L-G had then requested the DDA, which presently owns the land, to transfer it to ASI. In a meeting of the Foundation held in the first week of March, the DDA agreed to transfer the plot to ASI for its development and maintenance, a DUHF member told Newsline.
"We had been planning to develop and integrate the park with the Qutab Minar as it already falls in the buffer zone of the World Heritage Site and is also in proximity with several other significant monuments in Mehrauli. The entire area, from the remains of the Lal Kot wall to the park encompassing other heritage structures in Mehrauli, can be developed together into a heritage zone with a linked history," a senior ASI official said. "We will restrict entry to the park and build fencing around the larger heritage zone. We are waiting for an official notification from the DDA to start drawing up a final plan."
According to ASI officials, conservation of the Lal Kot wall — the remains of the fortification wall around the first city of Delhi — had run into trouble. The DDA owned the land adjoining the wall and the ASI was seeking its transfer too.
If this proposal comes through, the ASI will be able to develop the entire area.
The Mehrauli Archaeological Park, which has already been identified as a heritage zone under the Delhi Masterplan 2021, is riddled with issues like encroachment and a lack of effective supervision due to involvement of multiple agencies.
While the park, which houses roughly 70 heritage structures, is owned by the DDA, around 15 of these monuments are protected by the ASI; over 12 have been notified by the state Department of Archaeology.
The Wakf Board too owns some of the mosques and tombs in the park.
"The heritage structures here range across different periods in history. Several of these monuments have been encroached upon. Only piecemeal development of the park has been possible, with different agencies involved," said A G K Menon, Convenor, Delhi Chapter, Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage.
Officials of the state Department of Archaeology, which offered to take up the project earlier, maintained the department is still keen on developing the area and there is no dearth of funds. The ASI, officials said, had, however, shown a lukewarm response towards taking up the project.
- Indian Express, March 22, 2010
The alarm bells are ringing right below our feet. Delhi and portions of Rajasthan falling in the National Capital Region (NCR) extract almost double the amount of groundwater recharged every year. The situation is equally bad in NCR parts of Haryana, particularly Gurgaon and Faridabad, which largely depend on groundwater.
A status report on groundwater by the NCR Planning Board says the water table in Delhi is dipping by 2 metres every year. The city currently draws 0.47 billion cubic metres (bcm) of water from the ground every year while only 0.28 bcm gets recharged. That means Delhi loses a whopping 0.19 bcm of groundwater in a year.
In the case of Rajasthan, the report says the annual extraction is 1.14 bcm against the available 0.79 bcm. Haryana draws 2.72 bcm whereas the annual availability is 2.64 bcm.
The report says groundwater resources in seven of nine blocks in Delhi, 25 of 42 blocks in Haryana and all four blocks in Alwar (Rajasthan) are over-exploited.
Overall, NCR uses up 7.59 bcm of groundwater in a year against availability of 8.47 bcm. The numbers look good only because of high recharge rates in NCR parts of UP: Bulandshahr, Ghaziabad, Meerut, Khurja and Gautam Budh Nagar together draw 3.25 bcm against the available 4.76 bcm.
''Though more availability of surface water in UP region has saved us so far, rapid urbanization in districts adjoining Delhi will push up demand. That may lead to a huge crisis, with no surplus availability,'' said NCRPB member secretary Noor Mohammad.
A status report on groundwater by the NCR Planning Board (NCRPB) has revealed that the water table in Delhi and nearby areas is dipping alarmingly. Groundwater is the third major source of water in NCR. The report mentions that the total water demand in NCR for domestic, industrial, fire fighting and irrigation purposes was estimated at 33.39 bcm per year in 2005. And the demand is likely to increase steeply in the future due to population growth, rapid urbanization, an upward looking economy and rising standards of living.
Mohammad said the regional planning board has now prepared a plan for recharging groundwater in the region. The report points out that the groundwater level in NCR is getting critical in the absence of a broad framework for rainwater harvesting and a plan to save the disappearing of ponds and lakes. Though NCR receives 22.54 bcm of rainwater every year, approximately 16.9 bcm falls during the monsoon season alone. It is estimated that on an average, 6.27 bcm of water is lost due to surface run-off. The report points out that region's capacity to store as much as 183.82 bcm of groundwater remains highly unutilized.
Now, the planning board wants to reverse the trend. It has identified 45,000 recharge structures which could yield approximately 1 bcm of groundwater annually. The identified locations include areas in the Aravali ridge, abandoned quarries, village ponds, urban areas, the flood plains of Yamuna, Ganga and Hindon, and institutional and residential buildings. This can be done by desilting ponds and creating artificial recharge pits in both urban and rural areas.
The report has proposed 100 basin recharge structures and 100 river recharge pits in 95sq km of the Yamuna flood plains in Delhi. It also shows that approximately 250 trenches can be constructed along the ridge to harvest 2.5 million cubic meter (MCM) rainwater besides restoring about 3,000 abandoned quarries in Aravalis for channelizing run-off rainwater. Delhi could also improve its groundwater situation by reviving 200 ponds with vertical shafts and desilting 500 existing ponds, it says.
- Times of India, March 22, 2010
Roads and lanes in Lutyens' Delhi will soon be a walker's paradise.
Apart from the streetscaping project for 11 roads leading to Commonwealth Games venues, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has taken up renovation of footpaths of at least 41 roads in areas under its jurisdiction before the October event. The footpaths will be given nearly identical look, with sandstone or pre-cast concrete slabs being used for the work.
Work on all 41 roads is in progress and most are expected to be ready by September. Renovation of the footpaths of the C-hexagon, the road bordering India Gate, is expected to be among the first to be completed. While civil work is almost complete, horticultural work is expected to start soon.
According to an NDMC official, the civic body is trying to avoid wastage of resources by re-using stones that are "in a good condition" from existing footpaths. Footpaths on the main roads are, meanwhile, being relaid using fresh stones. "Most lanes in the area have undamaged stones, but the surface has become uneven. For these lanes, the stones are being dug out, the footpath is being levelled and the same stones are being used to cover it," he said.
In February, the municipal body had approved the tenders for work on a set of footpaths inside lanes and for a set on the roads. The lanes include Hailey Lane, Connaught Lane, Pt Ravi Shankar Shukla Lane, Copernicus Lane, Balwant Rao Lane and the lane branching off from Mahatma Jyoti Rao Phule Marg. The roads include Sikandara Road and Hailey Road, including the Mandi House roundabout.
Other places where footpaths are being relaid include Dr Zakir Hussain Marg, Pandara Road, Shershah Suri Road, Ferozeshah Road, Tolstoy Marg, Jantar Mantar Road, Safdarjung Road and Akbar Road.
Work has been taken up under two plans - Pavement Improvement Plan and Lane Improvement Plan.
A senior NDMC official said care has been taken to ensure the trees lining the pavements are not harmed. This has been done by introducing "sieve covers". The area around a tree is covered with a slab with perforations in it to ensure the trees are not surrounded by concrete and can be watered. This has been done on Lodhi Road and Max Mueller Marg.
- Indian Express, March 22, 2010
Even as World Forestry Day is being observed today, hundreds of Chinar trees in the Kashmir valley face the axe in the name of development.
With the state government undertaking a massive project of widening various roads, including the national highway and the Narbal Tangmarg Road, hundreds of Chinar trees en route will be axed.
A large number of these trees had been cut in the past to lay a railway line in the Kashmir valley and now many more face a similar fate in the name of development.
"Chinar is the identity of the Kashmir valley. In the recent past, the number of such trees has dwindled considerably and instead of protecting these,the government would be cutting them," Nisar Ahmed, an environment expert, said.
Recently the 'unscientific pruning' of hundreds of Chinar trees by the authorities of University of Kashmir on the Nasim Bagh campus of the university attracted a lot of criticism from various social circles and environmentalists.
Surveys conducted by the government and various NGOs have found that the number of Chinar trees in the Kashmir valley has decreased considerably. The grandeur of Chinar trees add to the beauty of the Kashmir valley, especially during autumn when the mighty trees shed leaves giving a fire-like- hue to the surroundings.
The government has undertaken the project to widen the roads from Srinagar to Tangmarg where the world famous tourist resort of Gulmarg is located. However, the state government says it has undertaken wide-scale plantation drive to save Chinar trees.
"We have started a plantation drive to increase the number of Chinar trees, which have been cut indiscriminately in the past two decades. The plantation drive, which was launched a few days ago, will continue till March 31," director of the Floriculture Department GS Sarwar Naqash said.
- Tribune, March 22, 2010
Illegal mining and the felling of trees are not the only reasons why the Aravalis are fast losing their forest cover. The other, perhaps the biggest, problem is the government's plantation schemes which are grossly inadequate for the sustainable development of green cover.
Under Haryana's plantation schemes, funds are allotted for the watering of saplings only three times a year as compared to the Delhi government's norms which provide funds for the watering of saplings three times a week during the first year of plantation.
This was recently revealed in an answer to an RTI application. Senior forest officials say this is because of an archaic law formulated 40-50 years ago when climatic conditions were very different from now and when Haryana got more rainfall and its water tables were higher. Now, because of drastic changes in both, the survival rate of plantations has plummeted to 20-25% from an earlier 70-75%.
''Under the government's urban forestry scheme, about Rs 16,000 is allotted per 'running kilometre' for the care of 166 saplings. The scheme stipulates that saplings be watered a maximum of three times a year. The Centre's forest development scheme allots Rs 12,800 per hectare, using which we are required to water plants twice a year," said D K Sinha, conservator of forests, Gurgaon.
Forest officials say the norms need severe revision. ''We have been writing to higher authorities asking that changes be made to policy because conditions have changed completely. The region is getting more arid by the day because of scanty rainfall, which leads to depleting water tables, and because of which it has become difficult for plants to survive," Sinha said.
Other factors are also responsible for the depletion of forest cover. ''Since most areas of the region are managed by local communities and panchayats, the forest department cannot develop them the way it wants to. Grazing and tree felling are also rampant," Sinha added.
Forest officials said the funds crunch has also affected the quality of trees planted. ''Earlier we used to plant dhak, dhok, khairy, ronjh, hingota, salar, gugal, mesquite, papri saplings, which had high leaf cover and timber value. Now we plant only wild trees like the keekar which have low leaf cover and no timber value," said Devendra Rao, forest range officer, Gurgaon range.
If the survival rate of plantations is less than 70%, lower-rung officials are made scapegoats, and the lost money recovered from them by cutting their salaries. ''It is difficult to carry out operations like earth works, soil preparation, weeding, water supply, etc with the meagre funds we get," said Rao.
Environmentalists, meanwhile, express concern. "At a time when issues like global warming and climate change are on top of every country's agenda — even our own politicians and officials are talking about the adverse effects of deforestation — the information released by the forest department shows the government is not serious about the issue," said Vivek Kamboj, an environmentalist.
"It is very important to plant saplings, but our responsibility does not end there. We have to make certain the saplings are kept alive and healthy. Which will not happen if immediate measures are not taken to change existing laws," said Kamboj.
Environmentalists said the existing norms are not really helping. ''While the National Forest Policy says every state should have 33% of its area under forest cover, Haryana scores a dismal 7%. The state did not even meet the 10% target which it had set for itself," Kamboj added.
- Times City, Times of India, March 22, 2010
The execution of Bhagat Singh, Shivram Rajguru and Sukhdev on March 23, 1931, changed the course of the freedom struggle. Sentenced to death for the murder of British police official JP Saunders in 1929 following the Lahore Conspiracy Case trial, the three were lodged in the Central Jail, Amritsar. The atmosphere in Lahore was charged.
"Khun ka badla khun" cried posters of the Punjab Inquilabi Party stuck on walls all over Lahore, justifying the killing of British police official Saunders. Members of the Bhagat Singh Appeal Committee were knocking at every door gathering memorials from residents addressed to the Viceroy. The Elphinstone Theatre on Mcleod Road was showing "Murder: Who killed Edna Druce" but no one seemed interested. The Naujawan Bharat Sabha volunteers were out on the streets protesting against the death sentence.
On March 1, The Tribune reported the death of Chandra Shekhar Azad in a clash with the police at Allahabad. The same day we had an exclusive blow-by-blow account of Bhagat Singh's case as argued before the Privy Council. The Gandhi-Irwin talks that occupied the front page of The Tribune for several days that month too belied all hopes of amnesty for the three.
On March 25, our headline, read: Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev executed. "Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru were executed at 7.15 pm on Monday. Earlier in the day two petitions filed in connection with their case had been rejected by the High Court. Counsel telegraphed to the Viceroy to stay execution as they were moving the Privy Council against the orders of the High Court."
The report gave a detailed account of the execution and how the relatives did not even get to see the bodies of the martyrs. "It is reported that the bodies were secretly removed in motor lorries from the jail and transported to some place on the banks of the Sutlej near Ferozepur where they were disposed of at the dead of the night"
The Tribune that day also quoted from Bhagat Singh and his comrades last letter to the Punjab governor: "The only thing we want to point out," they said, is that according to the verdict of your court we are said to have been waging war and are consequently war prisoners. Therefore we claim to be treated as such, i.e. we claim to be shot dead instead of hanged. It rests with you now to prove that you seriously meant what your court has said and prove it through action."
Kishen Singh, father of Sardar Bhagat Singh received the following letter from Mohammad Akbar, deputy superintendent, Lahore Central Jail: "Dear Sir, I am directed to inform you that your interview with condemned prisoner Bhagat Singh has been fixed for the March 23, 11 am. You should arrange to bring all your blood relations with you." Another notice to the same effect but with the words "that interview will be the last interview with Bhagat Singh" was received through the tehsil officials. Similar notices were received by the mother of Rajguru. Kishen Singh sent a telegram to Mahatma Gandhi: "Just received Viceroy's order. Relation's mercy plea rejected. Last interview with Bhagat Singh on 23rd".
- The Tribune, March 23, 2010
A digital video disc (DVD) containing rare, invaluable images clicked by the doyen of Indian photographers Raja Deen Dayal in the 19th Century and estimated to be worth hundreds of crores is causing much rumbling within the Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts (IGNCA). So much so that the matter has even reached the Prime Minister.
IGNCA deputy archivist Himani Pande has sought permission from centre's member secretary Prof Jyotindra Jain to lodge an FIR against the wrongdoers, 'outsiders' who she alleged have taken the DVD of archival images outside the IGNCA premises for printing at a commercial studio without her knowledge and consent. Pande has been the IGNCA archivist for the last two decades and in-charge of the collections.
In her letters (in possession of The Pioneer) written on February 22 and March 10, 2010 to Jain and simultaneously sent to the Prime Minister, his Principal Secretary, Cabinet Secretary, Culture Secretary besides the President and all the trustees of IGNCA, Pande has alleged she fears the high-resolution DVD could be grossly misused for personal gains given the exhibiting and sale value of the images.
Sources pointed out that the DVD contains around 2,500-3,000 images clicked by the 'prince of Indian photographers' and the IGNCA plans to put around 300 of them at an exhibition in the next few months. "A date for the exhibition hasn't been finalised as yet," they maintained.
Pande has cited two instances to back her apprehensions. Firstly, consultant Pramod Kumar KG and a project trainee Kanika Samra, who were appointed by the IGNCA to manage the exhibition, were paid their dues overlooking a request by Pande to withhold payment till they had returned the images.
Secondly, the IGNCA entered into an agreement with one Kaushik Ramaswamy through a tender for digital restoration and colour restoration of 300 images and taking photographs of these images in different sizes. Pande expressed surprise how the images could have gone out of the archival section without her knowledge.
"I have been totally kept away from all this which raises several suspicions," she stated, adding that she was yet to get a response to her request for permission to file the FIR. However, when contacted, Pande refused to comment on the issue.
But Prof Jain, who's in France, categorically rubbished the allegations. "No DVD is missing. It's safe in my cupboard in my office. As for printing is concerned, if someone wants to do it, he can simply copy the DVD.
The allegations have no basis. In fact, it was Pande herself who gave the high resolution DVD to Pramod though she was asked to give a low resolution one," Jain told The Pioneer.
Jain, in fact, asserted that Pande herself could not be above board just because she's a Government employee. "Can she herself not be a suspect for circulating the DVD? She never wants to allow public access to the archives, which we are planning. We will be instituting an inquiry against her for the current state of the archives," Jain said.
On his part, taking a strong exception to Pande's allegations, consultant Pramod Kumar KG said: "The DVD is back with the IGNCA and I have a signed receipt for it. I was appointed for research and selection of images from the collection of about 3,000 of them for the exhibition. Pande is mentally unstable. It's surprising how she's making such allegations when the fact she is the one who got me the contract."
While the two sides continue to take on each other, sources said the more serious issue as to whether the images have actually been misused should be inquired into given their immense market and historical value.
- Pioneer, March 23, 2010
To commemorate Bihar's Foundation Day, the State Government is for the first time organising a fortnight-long handloom and handicrafts exhibition-cum-fair that opened at Pragati Maidan here on Monday.
Housed in Hall No. 15 of the sprawling exhibition ground, "Bihar Utsav" has on view the State's historical and cultural heritage, art and its developmental initiatives to attract domestic and foreign investment. A special cultural event will be organised at Hamsadhwani Theatre of Pragati Maidan in which noted singer Sharda Sinha, fondly known as 'Bihari Kokila', will regale music lovers.
On entering the hall, visitors will pass through the Barabar caves situated in Jehanabad district that is the oldest surviving rock cave in the country. The entry to the main hall is through a model of Bodhi temple that was erected by King Ashoka.
There are 42 stalls displaying Tikuli art, Mithila painting, Motihari terracotta products, Nepura silk from Nalanda, Siki products, stone-crafted elephants, jute jewellery and the famous handloom bed-sheets of Bihar Sharif.
"The modern State of Bihar was carved out of Bengal presidency on March 22, 1912. To mark this historical occasion and promote a sense of pride and belonging among the people, the Bihar Government has decided to celebrate the Foundation Day on March 22. Gala functions will be organised across the State. Cultural extravaganzas are being organised at panchayat level to involve people's participation in large numbers," said Bihar Industrial Area Development Authority managing director Anshuli Arya addressing a press conference here on Monday. Informing that the stall has been segregated into three parts, Ms. Arya said Bihar's art and culture are being showcased in Section I, highlighting Bihar as the motherland of Lord Buddha and Mahavira, the arrival of Sufism, episodes from the life of Guru Gobind Singh and contribution of leaders from the State in the freedom struggle. Progress of contemporary Bihar is depicted in the second section. The last section has on sale the best of Bihari handicrafts, handlooms and books authored by famous writers, added Ms. Arya.
Resident Commissioner Alok Chaturvedi said that to encourage industrialists to invest in Bihar, the State Government is concentrating on infrastructure and repairing roads in cities and villages. "However, we are lagging behind in national highways as only one project from Patna to Muzaffarpur has been cleared. We have tackled the law and order problem in the State and are now trying to generate electricity so that industrials can set up units."
For food connoisseurs, a cuisine corner has been set up at the Pragati Maidan exhibition by Hotel Maurya, Patna, which is preparing a wide assortment of authentic lip-smacking dishes made of sattu like litti and parathas apart from various curries, seekh kabab, keema, khichdi, kheer and halwa.
- The Hindu, March 23, 2010
The Madhya Pradesh government remained in denial mode for years about the declining number of tigers in Panna till the wild cat went locally extinct, but its new Forest Minister has brought some hope for the beleaguered Park with his plainspeak. Sartaj Singh's recommendation for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the Panna fiasco, almost countering the findings of a state inquiry committee report, is surely not a magic pill and is definitely not going to win him any friends in the bureaucracy and forest set-up. But the recommendation, if followed up by that by the Chief Minister, is surely a welcome change from the stand taken by the minister's predecessors, who went blindly by the figures provided by the forest department officers and were hyper-sensitive to criticism.
The first warning bells in Panna were sounded by wildlife expert Raghu Chundawat several years ago when the then premier Park's priority shifted from protection and monitoring to tourism.
"Why should they wait for the CBI report? The government can take administrative action by fixing responsibility, because officers continued to lie for years," Chundawat told The Indian Express.
The decline began in mid-2002 when the Park lost its first tigress and in December that year a breeding tigress was found dead. Since then the Park, spread over 543 sq km, continued to lose wild cats at regular intervals and a census by the Wildlife Institute of India confirmed in January 2009 that it had none.
Till that time the state forest officials blatantly used to estimate the number of tigers between 10 and 20. In between they wrote articles about how Panna was being managed well and how the tiger count was nearly two dozen. Even last year the then minister of state for forests, Rajendra Shukla, had told the state Assembly that only four tigers had been poached in the state between 2004 and 2009.
The government blamed the presence of dacoits in the region that led to a lack of vigil. But after the tiger count was found to be nil, a Special Investigation Team set up by the Union Environment and Forests Ministry submitted its report to the state government in June concluding that the tiger population showed decline without any ecological reason and that poaching was the major cause of extinction.
The Central probe report said the maximum decline took place between 2003 and 2005, and accused the Park management of completely ignoring the warnings by scientists, individuals, NGOs and even the Central Empowered Committee. "The advisories/ guidelines and red alerts on protection and monitoring protocols issued by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), time and again, were not followed in action and spirit," the probe report said, alleging that there was no transparency in utilisation of funds provided under the Project Tiger scheme.
The report pointed out that, on the one hand, there was staff shortage, and on the other, range officers were working in the Park for more than a decade and insinuated that they had developed vested interests over and above their duties. There was complete lack of coordination between the police and civil administration, especially in intelligence gathering. The report said senior officers of the rank of the PCCF and the Chief Wildlife Warden and Additional PCCF visited Panna several times, but never mentioned in their tour reports that the Park was facing problems, which could be a cause of disappearance of tigers.
Almost dismissing the Central report, the Madhya Pradesh government formed its own committee to study "biological and administrative" reasons for the tiger's disappearance. The committee was given three months to submit its report, but it took eight months. The report was submitted to Singh, only because he insisted.
The state probe concluded that skewed male-female ratio, territorial fights, revenge killings and unbridled tourism were the main reasons. It said poaching was one reason but, if it took place, it happened outside the Park's core area.
Former PCCF J J Dutta, who was part of the state committee, alleged that the Central team had arrived at its conclusion hastily unlike the state team that took months to submit its report by taking a composite view.
NTCA Member-Secretary Rajesh Gopal, who was part of the state committee, has not signed the report as yet. "I will sign it only after reading it completely, as it was structured by someone else," he said.
- Indian Express, March 23, 2010
An engineering student recently came up with an interesting description of the Yamuna: It is like a supermarket, you can find everything in it. Shiva, a final year student of Faridabad, who spent eight days attempting to clean up the Yamuna, said: ''We have picked out just about everything from the river so far, from plastics to pooja samagri,'' she said.
She, along with over 20,000 people, joined the ''Meri Dilli Meri Yamuna'' initiative, launched on March 17 by the Art of Living Foundation, to clean the river's ghats and to drive home a point to the government — the Yamuna needs urgent attention if it is to survive.
And to show the way, it mobilised thousands of citizens to get down to action. While only a whole-hearted and sincere effort by government agencies can really make a difference to the health of the river, this citizens' effort has drawn urgent attention to the city's sprawling open drain that was once a glorious river.
To spread awareness about ways to lessen the burden of waste in the river, public outreach programmes were organised by Delhi Jal Board and the Art of Living with street plays, puppet shows and music to involve even the most disinterested persons in the people's movement to save the Yamuna.
From March 18 to March 24, concerned residents, NGOs, corporates and other volunteers covered eight ghats in the city, raking up tonnes of rubbish and silt that took over 200 tractor trolleys to remove. Akhilesh Chhabra, in-charge of the cleaning at the Okhla Dhobi Ghat, and otherwise an LIC employee, said that his worst experience had been at the Yamuna Vihar ghat, where due to its proximity to Nigambodh Ghat, volunteers actually had to dodge dead bodies in their effort to pull out rubbish from the water.
At the Okhla Dhobi Ghat on Thursday, Rashmi Paliwal, Art of Livings's north India in-charge, said that with their experiences of the past eight days, they would be developing a think tank along with the government, NGOs and corporates to come up with practical solutions for cleaning the river.
''At the dhobi ghat, we started our cleaning work 15 days in advance. About 200 truck loads of muck, including carcasses of dogs etc, were removed from the banks of the river. Through our eight-day journey, we had numerous people and groups, like RWAs, NCC cadets, social clubs and children, join us,'' she said.
For those who went ghat to ghat, trying to give the dying river some semblance of dignity, wading into sewage that is ostensibly the river's water, was no easy task. However, this was a mission to prove a point and they all joined in, from government officials to students and housewives.
- Times City, Times of India, March 25, 2010
Will IPL-mania kill the mission to save planet Earth from global warming on Saturday?
Two days prior to Earth Hour 2010, this question is doing the rounds as the city gears up to turn off lights on Saturday, March 27, so that the planet gets an hour's breather from greenhouse gas emissions that occur due to the generation of (mainly thermal) power.
On March 27, Shah Rukh Khan's Kolkata Knight Riders are taking on Preity Zinta's King's XI Punjab, starting 8 p.m.
That's just 30 minutes prior to the start of Earth Hour at 8.30 p.m.
So, even if the lights are turned off, the millions of TV sets might spoil Earth Hour's party.
Realising this, the proponent of Earth Hour, the World Wildlife Fund-India (WWF- India), is trying to get the IPL to make a symbolic contribution during the match.
"We are speaking with the IPL authorities regarding this.
It would be great if they are on board," said Aarti Khosla, spokesperson, World Wildlife Fund-India (WWF-India).
"We are also appealing to people to not have lights or other non-essential guzzlers of electricity on, even if they DO watch the match on TV during the Earth Hour."
Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru are the official Earth Hour cities in India, among the 12 big cities leading the charge globally.
The Delhi government and Hindustan Times are its offi- cial partners in India.
As far as Delhi is concerned, power distributing companies, along with the government, are ready with a plan.
Last Earth Hour, Delhi saved around 600 mw. This time, the government is aiming to top that.
"We have held meetings with the labour department, New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC), market and traders' associations, malls, hotels etc to get everyone on board," said Delhi Environment Secretary Dharmendra Kumar.
Discom BSES has sent Earth Hour messages in its newsletter, copies of which, pinned with the power bills, go to its 25 lakh consumers across Delhi.
Its Tata-controlled counter- part North Delhi Power Limited (NDPL) has tied up with resi- dent welfare associations and around two lakh students to spread the word.
Power consumers in BSES areas will also receive auto- mated voice messages and bulk mails urging them to take part in the initiative.
"We should all strive for the day when we will not need an Earth Hour to heal the planet", says Gopal Saxena, CEO, BSES Rajdhani, Delhi's biggest power distributor.
A freak thunderstorm with rainfall during last year's Earth Hour was also a reason why power consumption saw a dip.
This year, however, the weath- erman has not sounded out any such good news.
"This Earth Hour, we hope Delhiites will make up for the absence of favourable weather for saving power," Kumar said.
Now, if only IPL could chip in too.
- Hindustan Times, March 26, 2010
New Delhi: A tough new law to protect ancient monuments passed by Parliament recently may have some unintended consequences. It can make alterations, repairs or additions in existing properties in many city areas a tedious process, with violations attracting a stiff fine of Rs 1 lakh and a two-year jail term.
Hailed as a much-needed boost to heritage conservation, the new law's provisions set out tough norms for areas that fall within 100-metre and 300-metre zones around a protected monument. It may be difficult to even move a brick here if the Ancient Monument and Archeological Sites and Remains (Amendment and Validation) Act, 2010 is rigorously implemented.
With 173 ASI-protected monuments, areas such as Nizamuddin, Mehrauli, Saket and Feroze Shah Kotla may be affected. Residential areas range from middle-class housing to JJ colonies and unauthorized clusters. For a monument with a 100m radius, area in the prohibited zone could be 94,200 sqm and 376,800 sqm in the regulated area.
Carrying out renovation, repairs in properties around an ASI-designated monument will need permission from National Monuments Authority.
Prohibited zone defined as 100m in all directions from an ASI monument. Regulated area is a further 200m Only govt officials can carry out construction in a prohibited area. Public works in such zones will need special exemptions.
Violations can be punished with fine of Rs 1 lakh and 2 years in jail.
New Delhi: The new heritage conservation law has set out a two-year prison term or a Rs 1 lakh fine or both for any construction in both prohibited and regulated areas. A prohibited area is 100 meters from the edge of a monument and the regulated zone is a further 200 meters beyond the prohibited area. Changes to existing properties in these areas will need prior permission from a proposed National Monuments Authority.
The need to overhaul the original Monuments and Archeological Sites and Remains Act of 1958 has been keenly felt as heritage structures have been blatantly encroached upon and their aesthetic values defiled. But unless some of the new law's provisions are further clarified, there could be a danger of an over-correction with a new regulatory behemoth coming into being.
The Act says that anyone owning property in a prohibited area wanting to carry out repair or renovation must apply to a competent authority. In a regulated area this applies to ''construction or re-construction'' as well. The competent authority is a director level ASI officer who will file a report to the National Monuments Authority.
- Times of India, March 26, 2010
Cellphones could soon change the tourism scenario in the Capital, if the Tourism department has its way.
For, Delhi Tourism plans to start coding all major monuments in the city. The idea: tourists can dial a special number on their cellphone and press the code to get a pre-recorded voice narration on the history of a particular monument, as also interesting facts about it.
The move, officials say, is meant to make the city more tourist-friendly so that people who do not want to hire a guide can get adequate information on monuments and heritage structures.
According to Rina Ray, managing director of the Delhi Tourism and Transport Development Corporation (DTTDC), one way to make the service more attractive is to provide interesting information. For example, very few know that the Humayun's Tomb is a symbol of a wife's love for her husband — the monument was built by Humayun's wife Hamida Banu Begam.
The pre-recorded messages, Ray says, will provide such anecdotal information. "It is an interesting idea that can be used in Delhi as everyone has a cellphone today," Ray says. "We will tie up with a service provider to start the initiative."
The plan will take a few months to come to practice but senior officials say it is part of long-term plans of the tourism department to promote Delhi even after the Commonwealth Games are over.
It will be a paid service, Ray says, but tourists will be charged for the call, not the content.
The idea has been borrowed from Madhya Pradesh Tourism, which was the first and till date the only tourism department to implement the scheme a couple of years ago.
Ashwani Lohani, former managing director of MP Tourism who is at present working as divisional manager (Delhi) with the Indian Railways, had introduced the scheme. "It solved the problem of guides and was a non-human interface solution," he says.
"Messages would last for about three minutes."
Being a much larger state than Delhi, MP had four area codes — for Bhopal, Gwalior, Indore and Jabalpur.
- Indian Express, March 26, 2010
After venues, it's the turn of tourist spots in the city to get a Commonwealth Games makeover.
Delhi government is planning to renovate and upgrade both the Dilli Haats — in INA and Pitampura. From rejigging the menu to setting up paid toilets, the government is looking to make both Haats distinctive. Said Rina Ray, managing director, DTTDC, ''The renovation is going to start from the first week of April. We hope to make both complexes ready for the Games by August.''
Interestingly, the government is looking to make both Haats different from each other. While Dilli Haat at INA will be refurbished along with the menu to make it representative of the various states of India, the Pitampura Haat will be more international in look and cuisine.
Said Ray, ''The ministry of external affairs is setting up a SAARC museum in Pitampura. We therefore, decided that the Haat would have food from the eight SAARC countries as well as handicrafts and cultural programmes intrinsic to them.''
As part of the renovation project, INA's Haat will see the children's park within the premises being revived. The park, which will have a tree house and other features, will be renovated along with the stage nearby. Officials said that the government is also planning to build a new air-conditioned auditorium in the premises, which would be rented out for functions. Said a senior government official, ''The air-conditioned building will also be used as an alternative space during summers, where visitors can can come and lounge.''
The project will also see a complete overhaul of the menus in the state stalls. Sources said over the years, the stalls which originally offered cuisine of a particular state had started selling generic dishes. That is now set to change, however, with the city government pushing the state governments — which were ostensibly running the stalls — to update the menu to ensure only cuisine of that state was available. Admitted Ray, ''We have asked them to ensure that a state food stall will offer cuisine of that state only. After all, that's the USP of Dilli Haat.'' To underscore the national flavour of the INA Haat, the government will also be adding more geospecific artifacts, added sources. For instance, the food stalls will be decorated with handicraft from that state, in the form of murals and other artifacts.
The two Haats will also offer radio cab services, in time for the Games, Said Ray, ''The emphasis is on using public transport. So we want visitors to have the option of either taking a radio cab or the Metro.''
Also, valets who will help shoppers take their possessions to the Metro will be made available at the Haat, to make it more visitorfriendly, added the MD. ''Parking space is scarce, so we don't want visitors to be caught up with the travails of finding parking space,'' added Ray.
Work has begun to give a white makeover to the New Delhi railway station ahead of the Commonwealth Games. ''The colour of the 50-feet high building will be changed from existing light brown to pure white. Besides, the portico will have a new design,'' said a senior Northern Railway officer.
As per the blueprint, black granite will be laid up to 10 feet from the ground while rest of the building will be fitted with aluminium panels to give it a ''dazzling white look'', he said.
- Times City, Times of India, March 29, 2010
It's not just New Delhi that's getting all spruced up for the Commonwealth Games. With lakhs of tourists expected to visit the city in October, the government is hoping to turn Old Delhi into a major attraction.
As part of the beautification project proposed by the Shahjahanabad Redevelopment Corporation (SRC), streets in Old Delhi will be colour coded by the government in association with local traders' bodies. Savitur Prasad, managing director, SRC, said: ''The idea is to make the bylanes of Old Delhi attractive to tourists. Each street will have a different colour signage so that tourists can move about easily,'' Prasad said.
The proposal was passed by the SRC board last Thursday. The colour codes and typography of the signages have been selected by the traders' associations. ''After a series of meetings, traders as well as residents decided on not only the colours but also the physical dimensions of the boards,'' said Gurbachan Singh, president of the Daryaganj Traders Association. Singh said the project was welcomed by almost all the traders' associations. 'The cost will be borne by us. We want to be a part of a national event like the Commonwealth Games. We would like for tourists who visit Old Delhi to have an aesthetic experience.''
Naseer Ul Hasan Jhinjhanvi, one of the area's prominent residents who had pushed for the project, said it was the first time that traders had come together to be part of a major government project. ''The facade of over 2,000 shops will be renovated by traders,'' Jhinjhanvi said.
The streets include main Daryaganj road, Chitli Qabar cloth market, Urdu Bazaar, Jama Masjid Motor market, Delhi Gate, Turkman Gate, Matia Mahal and other bylanes. Singh said: ''Though there are certain obstacles like showrooms refusing to change their colour codes on display boards, the rest of the traders associations are more than willing.''
- Times City, Times of India, March 29, 2010
A cycle rickshaw rally organized in the heart of the capital led to jams on the road network as protesters took to the streets, along with about 2,000 rickshaws and handcarts. As they moved from Red Fort to Rajghat, movement of traffic was affected on major roads like Jawaharlal Nehru Marg and Ring Road near Delhi Gate and Rajghat crossings around noon.
The rally was organized to demand speedy implementation of the recent HC order removing the cap on the rickshaws. The court also constituted a special task force to look into the issue and suggest changes to Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD)'s rickshaw policy. Several known faces, like former director general, Punjab Police, KPS Gill, MP Maneka Gandhi, retired Major Generals Lakhwinder Singh and JP Gupta, Dalit leader Udit Raj, advocates Siddharth Luthra and Indira Unninayar, economist Bibek Debroy, urban planners Pradeep Sachdeva and AGK Menon were reportedly a part of it.
Besides abolition of the cap on licences for cycle rickshaws, protesters demanded that these be available as freely as other motorised vehicles, the new cycle rickshaw policy proposed by Manushi, which organized the rally, and approved by the expert committee of the MCD be implemented. They also demanded separate tracks for non-motorized vehicles, promotion of NMVs as a feeder to Delhi's public transport, creation of cycle stands all over the city and an end to confiscation and destruction of cycle rickshaws and handcarts by the police and municipal authorities.
- Times City, Times of India, March 30, 2010
Paris: 'Other Masters From India — Contemporary Creations of the Adivasis,' a stunning exhibition of contemporary tribal art from India opened on Monday at the Quai Branly Museum in Paris.
Conceived and curated by Jyotindra Jain, the former director of the Crafts Museum in New Delhi and one of India's foremost historians and chroniclers of tribal art, this exhibition is not just a visual and aesthetic treat; it has been put together diligently and intelligently, taking the viewer down the years, from the time when tribal art was ritualistic and iconographical, confined to the walls of Adivasi homes, to the present when art has enabled contemporary artists to give voice to their existential predicaments, thus transforming their artistic space.
The entire credit for this exercise goes to Dr. Jain's scholarship, knowledge and aesthetic sensibility. Most of the writings and several rare photographs in the detailed and richly illustrated catalogue have been contributed by him. However, the exhibition has been marred by the fact that Dr. Jain, who spent three years working on this project, has not been given adequate credit for his contribution.
The exhibition begins by examining, with some fine old prints and photographs as well as video footage from Bombay masala films, the representation of the Adivasis over time. British colonial times, when anthropologists working on theories of race measured, recorded and photographed tribals as belonging to certain "racial" types, gave way to the calendar art of the 1950s and 1960s and the caricatural depiction of the tribal by Bollywood.
Section Two entitled 'The People' presents Adivasi populations in a non-linear manner, each one of them being characterised by its material, ritualistic and artistic productions. Gigantic Bhuta sculptures from Karnataka, made of jackfruit wood and used in ancestor worship or appeasement have been brought all the way from the Crafts Museum in New Delhi. "Some of these pieces are about 150 years old and no museum outside India has a piece of this kind," Dr. Jain told The Hindu in an exclusive guided tour of the exhibits.
There are objects here of incredible beauty, grace, colour and cultural and religious significance: Magical healing amulets from the Nicobar Islands, votive terracotta figures from the Ayyanar tribe in Tamil Nadu, bronze figurines from Bastar (Gond) and Orissa (Kondh), clay storytelling sculptures from Sarguja in Chhattisgarh, votive tablets from Rajasthan, paintings from the Rathwa tribe in Gujarat or the jadupatua scrolls from the Santhal tribes of Bihar or West Bengal.
But the most interesting section of the exhibition is the third one, which concentrates on contemporary artists and offers visitor a series of popular paintings with a special emphasis on two remarkable artists, Jivya Shoma Mashe of the Warli tibe in Maharashtra and Jangarh Singh Shyam, a Gond from Madhya Pradesh who tragically killed himself while working as a artist in residence in Japan in 2001.
This section is visually extremely gratifying in the most contemporary "artistic" sense, where tribal art steps out of the confines of the purely ritualistic to give voice to concerns such as urban encroachment, violence practised by the state, and the influence of modern technology. In one of the Santhal scrolls, Yama, the God of death, is shown wearing a policeman's uniform, a telling comment on how the guardians of the law are perceived by a largely disenfranchised and oppressed population. Trains, airplanes (which are part mechanical, part mythical creature) telephones, mirrors, thus mingle with harvests, fields and creatures of the forest, sometimes, as in the case of a train, completing cutting the artistic space in two.
Unfortunately, the museum has failed to fully recognise Dr. Jain's work. Despite assurances given by the museum, the erratum sheet detailing the missing credits is not an integral part of the catalogue. A belated loose leaf insertion in no way corrects the error, for once an exhibition has been dismantled, the curator has only the catalogue to show for his pains.
When questioned by this correspondent, Helene Fulgence, director of exhibitions, said that in the French system, when writers of "notes" were not identified, the work was automatically presumed to be that of the overall director of the exhibition, its curator. However, she suggested Dr. Jain could have been let down or "betrayed" by his assistant, Vikas Harish.
Mr. Harish placed the blame firmly on the Quai Branly Museum: "I am not responsible for the errors. I kept Dr. Jain fully informed. I was not in charge of the publication of the catalogue."
As the blame game continued, with a senior museum official very rudely ticking this reporter off for "giving out the wrong message," Ms. Fulgence confirmed that Dr. Jain had not been shown a PDF version of the catalogue for his approval. She told The Hindu that had the museum honoured its commitments to Dr. Jain, it would not have been able to bring out the catalogue in time for the "official inauguration" on Monday. The exhibition opens for the public on Tuesday.
- The Hindu, March 30, 2010
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) might have to shelve its plans to integrate the 11-acre plot of land opposite the Humayun's Tomb with the world heritage site for now. Two-and-a-half months after the ASI had taken over the land — referred to as Bharatiyam Complex — to develop it prior to the Commonwealth Games, the Delhi High Court ordered a stay on any further activity on the premises.
The High Court order came after the Delhi State Bharat Scouts and Guides (BSG), who owned the land earlier, filed a petition against the Land and Development Office and others for demolishing BSG structures in the premises.
On January 7 this year, the Ministry of Urban Development had handed over the plot to the ASI, ending a 12-year battle between the ASI and the BSG. The transfer was meant to facilitate the conservation of the two Centrally-protected monuments in the premises and their integration with the Humayun's Tomb.
Nearly four years ago, a Supreme Court appointed monitoring committee had sealed the Bharatiyam Complex, after the BSG was found guilty of misusing the property by running commercial activities within the plot.
The plot was de-sealed for the ASI to take over but before work could begin, the BSG reclaimed its office and filed a petition with the High Court. "We are awaiting this very valuable archaeological resource within a world heritage site to be secured, so that we are able to restore the Mughal complex and integrate it within the Humayun's Tomb world heritage site by the Commonwealth Games. But the court notice putting a stay on any further activity has come as a big hindrance. The hearing is slated for April 17 and we will have to wait until then," a senior ASI official said.
The Bharatiyam Complex houses the Kunzru Stadium, Camp Office, VIP Room, Sports Complex, Bajpai Memorial Hall and the two Centrally-protected 17th Century monuments of Bada Batashewala Mahal and Chhota Batashewala Mahal.
In 1989, when national children's meet — Bharatiyam — was held in the complex, temporary arrangements were made for participants to stay on the premises. A number of modules (small hutments) were constructed on the assumption that they will be demolished after the event. After the event, however, the BSG rented out the modules to several organisations and institutes, including the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage. In 2001, the Parkland Club entered into collaboration with the BSG to build a club on over 1.5 acres of land and operate it on commercial basis. Over the last few years, the modules have been home to at least seven families of the BSG employees.
- Times City, Times of India, March 29, 2010
The restoration process in Connaught Place is caught in a controversy again with a section of conservation architects alleging the disfiguration of the heritage structures due to use of cement. While the conservationists maintain that lime should have been used to retain the aesthetics and ensure durability of the buildings, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) claims that the original buildings were made in concrete.
NDMC spokesperson Anand Tiwari said, "We did conduct tests and it was found that the original buildings were made of concrete so we also decided to use cement. The proposal (to use cement) was passed by the Delhi Urban Art Commission (DUAC)."
Conservationists refuse to buy the argument. "The restoration process looks ad hoc. Cement plaster should not be used in instances of lime-based masonry. The main buildings were made of lime but when alterations were made over the years cement was used. At least during the conservation process this time, lime should have been used," said Gurmeet Rai, director, Cultural Resource Conservation Initiative, a city-based heritage conservation consultancy.
The issue has sparked off a debate with several conservationists up in arms against the alleged disfiguration of heritage structures. "During a recent visit to Connaught Place and Connaught Circus, I was shocked to find that wall surfaces, colonnades, ceilings and details were being systematically plastered with cement. The use of cement plaster on the historic fabric of Connaught Place is not just an aesthetic issue but will soon become a serious construction problem leading to serious deterioration of these buildings," Gaurav Sharma, a conservationist, said. He has written to several heritage bodies and conservation architects to take up the issue and stall work.
AGK Menon, convenor, Delhi Chapter, Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), has a different take. "Cement might have been used in the original buildings. It cannot be ascertained whether lime or cement was used in original construction as no test has been conducted by any independent body. We did approach the NDMC two years ago and also proposed a conservation plan but that was not taken into consideration," he said.
When the INTACH had taken up the issue two years ago, the colonial buildings were not protected and it was only late last year that the NDMC notified them as heritage structures. INTACH officials had then found it difficult to push for a conservation plan as the heritage structures were NDMC property and not notified. INTACH officials maintained that though it would have been ideal to use lime mortar as its durability is much more than cement and it also retains the aesthetic look of a heritage structure, stalling the work was not possible as it was being taken up by the NDMC on its property.
"It is spilt milk and the civic body has already destroyed the structures. They wanted to beautify the buildings which they have done but with little consideration for their heritage conservation," an INTACH official said.
A DUAC member said, "We had raised objections over the plinth of the columns and the flooring that were not in keeping with the heritage value but there has not been any serious concern over the use of cement."
In another aspect of the controversy, while the NDMC maintained that two conservation architects have been appointed to oversee the restoration, members of the New Delhi Traders' Association (NDTA) alleged that the appointments were made on the basis of lowest bids and competence of the conservationists was compromised. "Had lime been used in restoration, the buildings would have been more durable. Cement from some of the recently restored buildings is already chipping off," an NDTA member said.
Robert Tor Russell, chief architect to the Government of India had designed Connaught Place in 1932 based upon an outline by W H Nichollas (the committee's architect from 1913-1917). Connaught Place's apparent Georgian architecture is modelled after the Royal Crescent in Bath, England.
- Indian Express, March 30, 2010
Even as the government gets busy with its preparations to highlight the city's rich heritage during the Commonwealth Games, the forgotten remains of a 14th century Tughlaq-era palace in south Delhi's Panchsheel Park area today serve as a playground for local children. Evidently, both the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the state archaeology department have been apathetic about the monument. The remains are situated inside a DDA park and portions of the facade are falling off because of neglect and vandalism by the locals. Surprisingly, the monument is not even mentioned in Intach's heritage listing of the 1,200 rare monuments in Delhi. This oversight, conservationists claim, will result in a big loss for the city. They say that the remains hint at what could have been a huge palace complex and excavation work around the structure could bring a lot of archaeological evidence to light.
Said British writer Sam Miller, who has been pushing for protection and conservation of the palace remains: ''Historians who have visited the site have said the structure appears to have been built either during the Tughlaq or Khilji period and basically, that it is the remains of a palace. The architecture clearly reveals the monument is from a pre-Mughal era. While three to four huge portions of the monument are above ground, a good part of the remains are underground and should be excavated.'' Miller claimed an ancient mosque situated near the monument was demolished a few years ago for development work related to the Commonwealth Games. He worries that unless a government body brings the remains under its protection, they could face a similar fate.
The fortification wall of these palace remains appears to have been built on the same lines as Siri Fort wall — another reason why heritage experts believe the monument could be of the same era. Till a few years ago, the wall was only partially visible as it was surrounded by heavy green overgrowth, but that was recently cleared. ''The monument needs to be studied from a historical perspective and conserved properly. Locals treat it as a playing ground and many residents have set up squatters on one side of the wall remains. Crucial archaeological evidence can be found here through excavation — as is being done by ASI in Siri Fort. It can also be developed as a prime tourist destination,'' said a heritage expert.
Though the monument is technically a property of the DDA, conservationists said it was essential that the ASI or state archaeology department take upon themselves to protect it as DDA had no expertise in heritage conservation. A senior government official said: ''Normally in cases where a monument is not under any kind of legal protection, it can be brought under the protection of the state or central government based on the recommendation of an expert committee or through court directions. For this to happen, a group of experts needs to visit the site to assess the archaeological significance and then start the process of notification based on a report.''
- Times City, Times of India, March 30, 2010
