Mapping of trees, numbering 661, was done for the area considered the city’s oxygen plant. A map of trees that make the green cover for the Thekkinkadu maidan, the oxygen plant of Thrissur city, has been prepared. The tree mapping exercise has been carried out by INTACH (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage) volunteers under the guidance of Dr. N. Sasidharan (former chief scientist of Kerala Forest Research Institute [KFRI ]) and Dr. P.S. Easa (former director of KFRI). The entire mapping exercise took around three months.

The enumeration proclaims that there are 661 trees in Thekkinkadu with 93 species. Kanikkonna (Cassia fistula) is the most abundant species (65 in number). There are 48 copperpod (Peltophorum Pterocarpum) with bright yellow flowers and 45 Rain trees (Albizia saman). The large spreading foliage of raintrees occupy maximum canopy area. There are 34 mango trees (Mangifera Indica) and 47 teak trees (Tectona grandis), mostly in the southern area of the maidan. In addition, there are 16 elengi (Mimusops elengi) and 21 mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla ) trees.

Among the 93 species of trees, 38 are exotic trees, 26 are ornamental/garden plants, and 46 are species of medicinal value including kadukka (Terminalia Chebula) and Thanni (Terminalia Bellirica). The experts are of the opinion that the rich varieties of trees in the maidan make it a unique ecosystem for the town. “Additional tree planting can be done by adding interesting species, also connected to the temple, which would also add to biodiversity. The tree health needs to be assessed and action taken including trimming and removal of branches, if necessary,” the experts suggested. A landscape plan could be prepared for the maidan with a plan for further planting of suitable species, they noted. INTACH would also be releasing a brochure, and conducting an exhibition soon, for the public, based on the tree mapping, for creating awareness.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/thrissurs-thekkinkadu-maidan-now-has-a-tree-map/article34737583.ece, June 6, 2021

Library officials, archaeologists and members of the civil society were protesting ever since the state construction authority unveiled plans to build the double-decker road by razing parts of heritage buildings of Patna University and Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Public Library. The heritage portion of Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Public Library in Patna will not be bulldozed for construction of a 2.2km-long double decker road from Kargil Chowk to National Institute of Technology (NIT) over the congested Ashok Rajpath. However, the width of the proposed road will be reduced a little while crossing the library to save George Curzon reading hall from demolition.

A portion of the reading hall of the library, a repository of ancient manuscripts, books and paintings, was earlier planned to be razed for the unique double-decker road being built by the Bihar Rajya Pul Nirman Nigam Limited (BRPNNL). Additional chief secretary, road construction department (RCD), Amrit Lal Meena confirmed the change in plan. “As of now, we have decided not to touch any portion of Khuda Bakhsh library for building the double-decker road. However, this will have its bearing on [the] width of the elevated road at [a] certain stretch,” said Meena, who is also chairman of BRPNNL.

Khuda Bakhsh library officials, archaeologists and members of the civil society were protesting ever since the state construction authority unveiled plans to build the double-decker road by razing parts of heritage buildings of Patna University and Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Public Library. They had written letters to the governor, chief minister and the Union ministry of culture to save the heritage structures. The Patna chapter of the Indian National Trust of Art and Cultural Heritage (Intach) had planned to seek legal remedy to avert the planned partial demolition of Curzon reading hall, named after then Viceroy of India, George Curzon, who visited the library in 1905. The library has the tag of national importance given by the Centre and Unesco has granted it a heritage status. The bid to construct the double-decker road over Ashok Rajpath for providing easy access to Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) from Gandhi Maidan side gained momentum on Saturday with the BRPNNL shortlisting eight construction companies for evaluation of financial bids for the award of work. The eight firms—Apco Infratech, Nagarjuna Construction, Rachna construction, Roya RCPL JV, SP Singla Construction, Gawar construction, Jandu Niraj JV and Welspun Enterprise—have been selected for the opening of financial bids.

The proposed elevated road would have three exits for the PMCH via their multi-level parking before terminating at NIT More. The road will also connect to the upcoming Ganga Path via Krishna Ghat. The project is likely to cost around ₹369 crore. The PMCH will also get four-lane connectivity with Ganga Pathway, which is coming up on the southern bank of river Ganga. Meena said the groundwork for the project will start in July, after the monsoon, and take around three years to complete.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/patna-news/patnas-double-decker-road-project-to-spare-khuda-bakhsh-library-s-heritage-structure-101623056193295.html, June 7, 2021

On International Archives Day, city-based art conservationist Anupam Sah delves into the perennial importance of the art and science of archiving. Archivists need to be objective and mindful while being detached and inclusive, and carry out the process without any prejudice, he reminds. Each of us performs archiving in some small way. In lockdown, more than before, people have had time to go through and preserve their family history of photographs, letters, diaries, and recipes.

These clues are how we are able to trace our roots and learn not only about our families but also about other cultures and societies in the world. At the institutional level, governments, private organisations, and museums take up archiving so that culture and history enthusiasts can deep-dive into precious historical repositories. While these records exist throughout the year, one week — starting June 9 or ‘International Archives Day’ —has been carved out annually to support the archiving community and to boost the visibility of their work.

Archives and archivists play an important role in accountability, transparency, democracy, heritage, memory and society, according to the International Council on Archives (ICA). In Mumbai, the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS), formerly known as the Prince of Wales Museum of Western India, has been actively documenting the history of India for over one hundred years and hosting exhibitions to make it engaging for people. Mid-day reached out to Anupam Sah, who has been heading art conservation, research and training at the museum since 2008, to understand the importance of archiving and how it has changed over the years.

Sah, who has been in the field for over two decades, is also the founder of the non-profit organisation Himalayan Society for Heritage and Art Conservation. He received the Sanskriti Award, and the title of the Knight of the Order of the Star of Italy in 2016. Here are edited excerpts from the interview: Conservation and preservation are an important part of the archiving process. How have you seen archiving grow in India since you started out?

The elders at the National Archives and the National Museum set the tone for establishing the growing profession of care of collections. Today, after 50 years, art conservation and archiving collections have developed into recognisable professions. As more people and institutions acknowledge the significance and value of historic records, the science of archiving is gaining currency and rightly so, as our archives are memories of our human, institutional and national progress in the global sphere.

Do you think there is enough being done in the conservation, preservation and archiving space in Mumbai and India? How can people be encouraged to take it up? A lot is being done, first of all, by those who own these records, by allocating resources and time to look after these collections. This has led to those individuals and institutions trained in archiving and conservation to contribute their services.

The growing training courses in museology, archival studies, and conservation are testimony to the sense of social responsibility that heads of educational, philanthropic, and cultural institutions are demonstrating by supporting such courses and ventures.

Why is archiving important and what is the most difficult aspect of restoration and archiving? The most important aspect is to be objective and mindful that our responsibility is to conserve, restore, and archive with detachment, inclusivity, without being prejudiced or allowing our opinions to colour our choices or our actions. It is also to pass things down in a pristine condition and form to our intelligent younger generations, for them to engage with and negotiate their histories.

What is the current scope and focus of work at CSMVS? Has it changed due to the pandemic?
For the cultural heritage of the world, the march of time remains unaffected by human crises, and so care of collections in archives, museums and homes remains a priority perennially. During this pandemic the CSMVS Museum, in fact, not only took exemplary care of its cultural collections with support from Citi India, but also created an exhibition on Tanjore paintings, hosted art history lectures in collaboration with the Italian Consulate, trained art conservators in partnership with Tata Trusts, reorganised its archives, as well as launched a nationwide programme for developing a Heritage Conservation Science Training and Research programme in collaboration with the Laxmi Mittal Institute, Harvard University. This time was gainfully used as our contribution to nation building. The pandemic is to excuse ourselves from physically gregarious behaviour, not to excuse ourselves from our responsibilities. Instagram has seen many accounts become independent archives on different kinds of topics. Do you see the medium of archiving changing for the younger generation? The medium of archiving was palm leaves, copper plates, and birch bark at one time and then paper, photographs, audio tapes, film, microfilm and microfiche and then floppies, compact discs, and now servers and the cloud.

The media will progress inexorably - some will fall by the wayside; some will stand the test of time and the memories of human progress will abide, and the role of both youngsters and elders will be equally pertinent and necessarily in tandem. Is the process of being interested in conservation, preservation and archiving only limited to a particular set of people or do you think it is now evolving? As long as the significance and value of our common, diverse and composite heritage is transmitted and acknowledged, humans will be interested in preserving it. As conservation evolves it is necessary for systems to be in place, or else, in our enthusiasm we might actually, inadvertently contribute to its destruction with half-baked skills and inadequate infrastructure.

How did you become interested in conservation and restoration? Please tell us more about it. As a schoolboy in Nainital, I read an article on art conservation, and because one was interested in both the arts and the sciences, I pursued it, trained at the National Museum Institute at Delhi, and in Florence and UK, and the rest is a personal history in the making, that even I might consider archiving (laughs).

https://www.mid-day.com/lifestyle/culture/article/learn-six-indian-language-basics-with-ar-lenses-23177410 June 5, 2021

Prime Minister Narendra Modi released a report on ethanol blending in India as part of an event marking environment day. On June 5 every year, the nature empaths around the globe celebrate World Environment Day, encourage awareness, and observe its protection. Since 1974, World Environment Day has been celebrated, engaging governments, businesses, and citizens in an effort to address pressing environmental issues, with participation from over 143 countries annually.

History
World Environment Day came into existence in 1972 by the United Nations Assembly on the first day of the Stockholm Conference held on the human environment and later in 1974, the day started to be celebrated with the theme "Only One Earth". The idea for rotating the center of these activities through selecting different host countries began in 1987. In 2013, the anthem was launched on the occasion of World Environment Day in New Delhi. Over the years, the day became a global platform for raising awareness and taking action on urgent issues from marine pollution and global warming to sustainable consumption and wildlife crime.

Theme
This year, the theme of World Environment Day is "Reimagine. Recreate. Restore.". The global host for the day in 2021 to highlight the importance of ecosystem restoration is Pakistan. According to the WED website, every three seconds, the world loses enough forest to cover a football pitch, and over the last century, humans have destroyed half of the wetlands. As much as 50 percent of coral reefs have already been lost and up to 90 per cent of coral reefs could be lost by 2050, even if global warming is limited to an increase of 1.5 degrees Celsius. The theme means to prevent, halt and reverse this damage – to go from exploiting nature to healing it. This World Environment Day will kick off the global mission to revive these billions of hectares. The theme focuses on how healthy ecosystems can enhance people’s livelihoods, counteract climate change and stop the collapse of biodiversity.

India on World Environment Day
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will participate in a World Environment Day event at 11 am via video conferencing, according to his office. Modi will release 'Report of the Expert Committee on Road Map for ethanol blending in India 2020-2025'. To commemorate the day, the government is releasing E-20 notification directing oil companies to sell ethanol-blended petrol with a percentage of ethanol up to 20 from April 1, 2023; and BIS specifications for higher ethanol blends E12 and E15. According to a report of market research firm UnearthInsight, the carbon emission by the Indian IT outsourcing industry has dropped by about 85 per cent to around 0.3 million tonnes due to reduced travelling, work from home and online hiring process during the Covis-19 lockdowns. In Uttarakhand, the state's forest department on the eve of World Environment Day released a list of 1,576 plant species conserved, including the ones that are unique to the Himalayan region.

Apart from the plant species that are unique or endemic to the Himalayan region, the list also includes those species declared threatened in the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species. Apart from these, numerous Members of Parliament across parties have pledged to go vegan for the day -- by forgoing meat, dairy, and other animal-derived food to raise awareness. In a study in the journal Nature, it is found that greenhouse gas emissions from food systems would be reduced by half if the world turned to a mainly plant-based diet. Researchers at the University of Oxford also found that every person who goes vegan lowers their carbon footprint by up to 73 per cent and saves nearly 200 animals per year.

Covid Effect on Environment
Even though the lockdowns helped the environment to breathe better air quality for a while, according to the Central Pollution Control Board, India has produced 45,308 tonnes of biomedical waste between June 2020 and May 10, 2021, an average daily generation of 132 tonnes of Covid-19 related waste. This is in addition to the 615 tonnes of biomedical waste a day being produced before Covid-19, amounting to a 17 per cent increase in biomedical waste generation solely because of the pandemic. Notwithstanding the unprecedented health and environmental crisis, the experts said there are ways to minimise the damage. To begin with, Singh said individuals needed to consciously reduce their plastic footprint, with the help of a comprehensive strategy and a comprehensive roadmap.

https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/world-environment-day-2021-restoring-ecosystem-and-raising-awareness-121060500078_1.html, June 5, 2021

Ambala: INTACH, Ambala, organised a webinar on teachers' training workshop, which was coordinated by Col RD Singh, Convener. As many as 35 teachers from 18 schools, including one from Naraingarh, participated in the webinar. The aim of the workshop was to focus on the heritage of Ambala, and empower teachers to further.

https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/haryana/biological-advancements-in-vaccines-273507, June 25, 2021

Odisha’s Raghurajpur village is a hub of Pattachitra, an indigenous art form, with at least one artist involved in the trade in every family. This art form dates back to the 12th century. Raghunath, a resident of Odisha’s Raghurajpur village, is a fourth generation artist engaged in Pattachitra, a cloth-based scroll painting. This art form dates back to the 12th century. In the last 22 years, the artist has created hundreds of these intricate paintings.

What makes Raghunath’s paintings stand out is that he makes organic colours from seashells, flowers and leaves to make sharp, angular and bold lines to depict epics, gods and goddesses. In fact, he is one of the many artists keeping alive this art in his village, which is a hub of the indigenous art form, with at least one artist involved in the trade in every family. However, the coronavirus-induced pandemic has severely affected his sales ever since March 2020. So instead of colouring on the cloth, Raghunath has been colouring his house walls for the last few weeks. This, alongside following his daily routine of making organic colours, is his way of assuring himself and his family that things are going to get better once the pandemic ends. Within the confines of the house, colours explode in a way that looks like you’re part of a festival. But only Raghunath knows the burden of having unsold paintings worth lakhs just lying around. “Coronavirus has robbed close to 150 families of their livelihoods in our village.

We would receive a footfall of 400 people every day before the pandemic, but in the last year, I have not sold even one painting. By colouring the house, our community is keeping spirits high and hoping the world takes notice and buys our paintings,” Raghunath tells The Better India. Raghurajpur was declared a ‘heritage village’ in 2000 by the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH). This recognition promoted tourism in the village and assured the artisans that their art is protected.

Veteran artists like Raghunath even passed down the art form to their children, knowing it will generate livelihood. Parul Kumar, who has been working with the village artisans for the past few years, says this is the first time they are struggling to make ends meet. “Through my NGO Prabhaav, we have created market linkages and helped artisans sell the artwork even during cyclones. But the pandemic has restricted movement so we cannot even organise exhibitions,” says Parul. She adds, “Raghurajpur village is full of talent, dedication and hard work, and produces several different types of breathtaking artwork including Pattachitra, cow dung toys, grass baskets, pottery, palm leaf painting and shell work.” Here are some examples of the beautiful artwork done by the villagers:

https://www.thebetterindia.com/257165/odisha-raghurajpur-village-pattachitra-ancient-indigenous-art-form-covid-19-pandemic-artisans-prabhaav-ngo-coronavirus-pandemic-india-gop94/, June 19, 2021

KCR's extravagant bid to outdo the Tirumala shrine, in a grand display of competitive religiosity, will cost the state Rs 1,800 crore. An artificial plateau has come up on a hillock at Yadagirigutta, some 70 km northeast of Hyderabad, and what was once a modest cave shrine has been transformed into a grand temple. Labourers are braving the torrid summer heat to build an ornate 330 feet long gold-coloured passage, which will be the corridor for worshippers to access the sanctum sanctorum of Narasimha Swamy—the part-lion, part-man avatar of Vishnu that Hindus revere as the incarnation that came to Earth to destroy evil and restore dharma. If Telangana chief minister K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) is to be believed, he is putting in place a “21st century world-class Hindu spiritual destination”. And it’s all being done at state expense. In March 2015, he launched the Rs 1,800 crore project spread over 1,885 acres, after shortening the name of the place to Yadadri from Yadagirigutta, in the hope that it will become a major temple tourism centre in the country. Apart from the shrine, the surrounding landscape is becoming a temple city, modelled on the popular shrine at Tirumala in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh. Until 2015, worshippers had to trudge down rocky terrain to reach the narrow cave and offer obeisance to the deity in the temple built in 1246 by Bommanna Dandanayaka, a commander of the Hoysala empire, during the rule of King Vira Someshwara. manna Dandanayaka, a commander of the Hoysala empire, during the rule of King Vira Someshwara. For his dream project, KCR constituted a special Yadagirigutta Temple Development Authority (YTDA), vested with powers to enlist the services of all infrastructure, development and revenue authorities in executing the project. To advise the YTDA, a high-powered technical committee was set up to take on the engineering and other challenges. For this, the idol was temporarily shifted to a balalayam (a makeshift structure built conforming to ritual) to facilitate the construction of the new temple. The idol will be re-consecrated in the sanctum sanctorum of the new temple after a couple of weeks of pujas before the year ends. All this has been done on the advice of Tridandi Chinna Srimannarayana Ramanuja Jeeyar Swami, 64, a monk known for his discourses on Vaishnavism. KCR reveres the monk (whose name too, like many Hindu seers, takes the deferential prefix Sri Sri) who has an ashram on the outskirts of Hyderabad. KCR is conscious of the fact that the chances of a third consecutive term are remote unless he finds new ways to rally support, even more so with the BJP’s rising influence in the state. Perhaps why he has turned to competitive religiosity by building a swank temple and trying to rival the richest Hindu shrine at Tirumala. “He is a religious man but is not above using faith as a stunt to try and win over people, just as he has used caste and group rivalries in the past for political survival,” says political commentator C. Narasimha Rao, adding that “KCR’s medieval mindset helps him in this in good measure”. The YTDA has also been selling the project as a future tourist destination to investors. Under a unique donor scheme, 252 four-bedroom homes on an adjacent hillock have been sold for Rs 1.5 crore each, for which patrons get privileged access to the temple with 30 days’ stay every year. For the rest of the year, the YTDA, which will maintain the property, will earn rental income from transiting devotees. A presidential suite and 13 VVIP villas will be up in time for the opening of the temple. Sensing that the sale of temple prasadam and mass feeding schemes could kick up controversy, the YTDA has outsourced it to the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) which has expertise in mass catering. During his last visit, KCR told officials to ensure that Yadadri becomes a role model for cleanliness and hygiene. “Everything, including electrification and illumination, should be done in a manner that awakens the feeling of bhakti and joy,” he said. When the Yadadri project was launched, KCR had spoken of temple footfalls increasing steadily with time. Devotee response is still sluggish but the makeshift balalayam has been reporting higher footfalls than earlier. The temple and township plan have been conceptualised in keeping with an amalgam of traditions. From the 2,500 square yards to which it was originally confined, the temple area has been expanded to 4.5 acres on the hillock. Long retaining walls rising up to 100 feet have been built on three sides to accommodate the impressive edifice. The cement fortification is 4.5 feet thick and extends 1,300 feet to the south, 320 feet west and 1,000 feet to the north to provide the architectural elevation to make the temple visible from afar. “The construction of the temple posed both engineering and architectural chall­enges as it involved turning an undulating slope into a zero level area and creating designs to use building material that would last for over 1,000 years,” says G. Kishan Rao, CEO and vice-chairman of YTDA. “The construction is unique in that we have only used krishnashila (black granite), used by the Kakatiya emperors of Telangana in temple architecture instead of modern material like cement and concrete,” explains Rao. The granite was sourced from the Gurijepalli quarries of Prakasam district in Andhra Pradesh after experts at Indian Institute of Tech­nology, Madras, and the National Centre for Cement and Building Mater­ials, Hyderabad, certified its durability. All temple architecture work, including the inner and outer prakarams (compound walls), the stone pillars, affiliated temples, sculptures of gods and goddesses and Alwars (Vaishnavite saints) were finalised after temple architect and art director B. Anandsai visited over 60 temples across India. The original cave temple of Narasimha Swamy and the rock with a carving of Hanuman have not been touched. Everything else is new. While the seven-storied, 100-feet-high sapthathala maharajagopuram, the tallest tower, is an imposing spectacle, six other features add to the temple’s splendour. At Yadadri, the construction of the gopuram is conspicuous with the use of black granite all the way to the top. Significant features of the temple are the sapthathala maharajagopuram, the cavernous 202-feet-long and 103-feet-wide chandeliered mukha mandapam with a 35-feet-high ceiling, the ashta bhuji prakarams, the mirror chambers and the black granite sculptures, including the seven-feet-tall lions at the east and west gopurams and the smaller ones at the north and south gopurams. “It’s more like poetry in stone, the amalgam of sculptures. We have introduced several distinctive styles and traditions to make this temple magnificent in spiritual and architectural grandeur,” says Anandsai. “This includes the main temple in the Chalukyan style, the mukhamandapam and the 12 Alwars in the Kakatiya style, the outer prakaram reflecting Pallava designs, the gopurams in the Dravidian style with some having embedded statues and the queue line inspired by the Jain style.” Apart from black granite, the sculptors have used traditional bonding material to ensure the temple structure lasts for centuries. To bind the granite slabs, a mix of lime mortar, karakkaya (Indian hog plum), jaggery, aloe vera and jute has been used instead of cement. This mix is believed to be “all-weather proof”. “The sculptures will not crack or melt for centuries as this mix is the adhesive,” says Anandsai. Some 500 sculptors and their assistants from Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana toiled for over two years in chiseling the granite into the right shapes. The work continued unmindful of the risks (at least a dozen workers have been seriously injured). “We have made sure that at all stages we comply with the Agama Shastra guidelines,” says chief sculptor Anandachari Velu. Agama Shastra lays down the rules and nuances for sculptors in temple construction, idol installation and worship rituals. Velu and his predecessor on the YTDA project, S. Sundara Rajan, have scrupulously followed this to steer clear of controversy. Yet, at one stage, KCR’s detractors kicked up a row suggesting that some images on the pill­ars resembled him and were allegedly carved at the behest of his supporters. There is other criticism too. “Temples are being built elsewhere too, like the Ram Mandir at Ayodhya, but it is with donations and other contributions, not state funds,” says Congress spokesperson Dasoju Sravan. “Public money should be used to build schools or hospitals. People may be enchanted by this film set-like structure but this is just to satisfy KCR’s vanity. He has a penchant for defacing historical public properties...he pulled down the Nizam-era state secretariat to build a vastu- compliant new building. KCR wants his Kalvakuntla family to be credited for Yadadri just as the Cholas are remembered for Tirumala.” The original shrine, including the sanctum sanctorum, has been retained intact. The superstructure, the 48-ft, five-storied vimana gopuram, which was built atop the sanctum sanctorum, will be embellished with gold plating in the coming years. Officials justify the changes, saying the temple is not on the list of protected monuments. But critics disagree. “Yadadri may not be on the list of protected monuments but a beautiful cave shrine has been totally defaced with the blasting of the gutta (hill),” laments Anuradha Reddy, co-convenor, INTACH, Telangana. “Moreover, what has come up in its place is not in sync with regional heritage though it is in the middle of Kakatiya country.” Of the Rs 852 crore spent so far on the project, Rs 248 crore was on the temple and the rest for land acquisition and infrastructure such as the four-lane road for smoother connectivity between the hillocks surrounding the temple, the six-lane Yadadri outer ring road and the scenic landscaping. KCR wants to ensure that Yadadri is an impressive draw from day one. Downhill from the temple, a city is taking shape though not at the pace at which the temple was built. Structures being developed include an artificial lake, marriage halls, food courts, a shopping complex and a bus terminal besides a 25-acre horticulture park where flowers will be grown for use during the pujas. To kick start the festivities, KCR is planning a Maha Sudharshana Yagnam, the mother of all yagnas, to coincide with the temple’s inauguration. Vaishnavite spiritual leaders from across the country will be invited to grace the occasion.

https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/the-big-story/story/20210628-yadadri-temple-kcr-s-1-800-crore-dream-project-at-state-expense-1816236-2021-06-18, June 18, 2021

Awaiting an environment management plan (EMP) for the Najafgarh Jheel from the Haryana government for over 10 months, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) ordered the chief secretary of Haryana to be present for the next hearing, scheduled for October 10, along with the status of compliance. Awaiting an environment management plan (EMP) for the Najafgarh Jheel from the Haryana government for over 10 months, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) ordered the chief secretary of Haryana to be present for the next hearing, scheduled for October 10, along with the status of compliance. On June 17, the principal bench of NGT, headed by chairperson justice AK Goel, while hearing a petition filed by the Indian National Trust for Art & Cultural Heritage (Intach) for the protection of the water body, said, “We have considered the matter and find that the issue of restoration of water body in question is significant for the environment but has not received the attention it requires from the authorities. The State of Haryana has neither prepared EMP nor given any explanation for not doing so. None appears for the State of Haryana...” “In these circumstances, we consider it necessary to direct chief secretaries of Haryana and Delhi to coordinate with the concerned departments to ensure further remedial action expeditiously and to remain present in person by video conference on the next date with the status of compliance,” stated the order, a copy of which is with HT. While the Delhi government has submitted a draft EMP, officials from the state environment department said that several committees have been formed to look into the matter and the state will be able to give a response to NGT by the next hearing. RK Chauhan, the joint director of state environment, said, “We have been working on this matter continuously and reports of the technical committee formed to study the matter have been submitted. In our case, we have a lot of area around the lake which falls under different categories like private land, agricultural land. At present, deliberations are underway regarding the area of the lake and we should be able to reach a conclusion by July-end after which an environment management plan will be devised.” The seven-square kilometre water body is important for Gurugram as it acts as a large aquifer to recharge groundwater. Many creeks in the Aravallis flow into the Najafgarh Jheel, which is further carried to the Yamuna. Akash Vashishtha, the advocate for the petitioner, said, “While Delhi has prepared the draft EMP, the Haryana government made no response in compliance with the NGT’s directions from September 19, 2020. The Najafgarh Jheel is a natural hazard zone, as it falls in Seismic Zone-IV and is also the highest zone of soil liquefaction. The two factors, if combined, would be catastrophic to people’s lives and property. Despite that, the Haryana government and its agencies are allowing high-rise constructions near the water body.” Experts privy to the details of the draft EMP prepared by the Delhi government said that the same can be adopted by the Haryana government. Ritu Rao, a PhD scholar at the TERI School of Advanced Studies, who specialises and works on urban water bodies, said that protecting the Najafgarh Jheel can help solve problems of both water scarcity and waterlogging in the city. “To address the issues of water scarcity and flooding in Gurugram, we need to restore the existing hydrological channel and water bodies in Gurugram. Haryana should declare Najafgarh Jheel a wetland up to contour 212.5 metres above mean sea level, in accordance with the high flood level of the past 100 years in the area. If this is not complied with, there is always a risk of flooding and collapsing of buildings constructed on this wetland,” said Rao. Objectives of Draft EMP prepared by Delhi Land use and land cover of the wetland is maintained in line with regulatory requirements under Wetland Rules 2017, and in accordance with master plans of NCT of Delhi and Gurugram Efficient treatment of sewage received within the wetland. Maintenance of diversity of biota within Najafgarh Jheel. Participation of wetland communities in management plan implementation and affirmative behaviour change within the community. Systematic wetland inventory, assessment and monitoring system is used to inform management decisions and assess effectiveness. Integration of multiple values of wetland in sectoral development planning to be enhanced. Restoration of wetland habitat and removal of invasive species

https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/gurugram-news/green-tribunal-pulls-up-state-over-delay-in-plan-to-protect-najafgarh-jheel-101624295377137.html, June 21, 2021

The 18 copper plates recently discovered at Srisailam during the renovation of Ganta Matham, one of the Panchamathas, were deciphered by P. Chenna Reddy, Telugu University Dean of School of History, Culture and Archaeology. The copper plates written in Sanskrit and in Telugu Characters reportedly record the gift of the village Vemavaram, after renaming it as Allada Reddi Vemavaram to "the God Mallikarjunadeva of Sriparvata by the king" issued by Virabhadra Reddi, from the Reddis of Rajamahendravaram. The copper plate was issued by king Virabhadra Reddi, son of Allada Reddi, said Mr. Chenna Reddy. It is reportedly dated Śaka 1358 (vasu-bāna-viśva) Anala, Vaiśākha, śu.15 which is equivalent to 1436 A.D., April 30, Monday.

It records the gift of the village for the merit of his father Allada Reddi, on the occasion of the Lunar eclipse. The record was composed by Kommanamatya and engraved by Pinanumka, son of Goragapumdi Numka. The record ends with the signature of Sri Markamdesvara Vemareddi, said Mr. Chenna Reddy, adding that Muniratnam Reddy, Director of Epigraphy, Archaeological Survey of India, Mysore, too worked with him in deciphering the script. They congratulated Srisailam Temple E.O. Karanam S. Rama Rao for taking interest in protecting such valuable findings.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/copper-plates-discovered-in-srisailam-deciphered/article34943147.ece, June 24, 2021

Historical monuments — Chhatta Rai Bal Mukand Dass and Mirza Ali ki Bawdi — will be revamped by the district administration in order to preserve heritage sites and attract tourists. A proposal has recently been sent to the Department of Archaeology and Museums for renovation of both monuments that will cost Rs 5 crore. “Both monuments have been in a dilapidated condition for a long time as no sincere efforts were made to revamp these. Walls and rooftops are lying broken at many places. Locals have encroached upon areas belonging to the monuments. These sites have the potential to become tourist attractions after rejuvenation,” said Ratan Lal Saini, District Convener, Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage. Chhatta Rai Bal Mukand Dass, popularly known as Chhatta of Birbal, is a spacious five-storey building with several halls, rooms and pavilions constructed by Ray-i-Rayan Mukand Dass, the Diwan of Narnaul, during the reign of Shah Jahan. It is believed that the building has four underground tunnels leading to Jaipur, Mahendragarh, Delhi and Dhosi.

Legend has it that Akbar and Birbal visited this town. That’s why it is called Chhatta of Birbal. Similarly, Mirza Ali ki Bawdi, also known as Takht Baoli, was a resort constructed during the reign of Emperor Akbar. It included a beautiful garden, water pool, a ‘baoli’ with steps to reach the water and an imposing three-storey gateway structure overlooking the ‘baoli’. Ajay Kumar, Deputy Commissioner, said that Takht Baoli and Chhatta of Birbal would be renovated to attract tourists. The proposal has been approved by the Chief Engineer, PWD (B&R). It is likely to get a nod from the Archaeological Department as well.

A committee had also been formed to review the renovation work and to give suggestions for conservation of heritage sites, he added. “The work is delicate. Hence, more emphasis will be given to preserve the original aesthetic and natural look of the monuments. Marble, teakwood, natural colours, coloured stones will be used for renovation,” said Kaustubh Varat, Chief Minister’s Good Governance Associate (CMGGA).

https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/haryana/neglected-monuments-in-mahendragarh-to-get-facelift-272451, June 22, 2021

A stone inscription, believed to be from the 13th century Hoysala empire, was found recently at Yelachenahalli, South Bengaluru when locals were clearing a plot to construct a building. Epigraphists and history buffs thronged the spot to decipher the Kannada text on the stone but the lockdown hampered their efforts. They’re determined to return once Covid curbs are lifted. Two weeks ago, a piece of ancestral land in Kanakanagar owned by a local politician was being cleared and workers stumbled on an old piece of stone over 3ft tall and around 2.5ft wide with Purva Halegannada (Old Kannada) inscriptions which no one could read.

“We heard about it and I rushed to the spot,” said Rajeev Nrupathunga, founder of Revival Heritage Hub, an NGO extensively involved in Karnataka’s history. What Nrupathunga saw at the site stunned him as the inscription was from the Hoysala period, possibly late 1300s. “The purva Kannada alphabets were from the Hoysala period and certain words, namely the Gandaberunda, indicated it. The slab started with the Linga Akara symbol telling us it was erected to honour the contribution of locals for the welfare of possibly a Shiva temple here,” he said, adding that it’s perhaps the first find of a Hoysala period inscription in South Bengaluru. Senior epigraphist Ravikumar Navalagunda of Davangere deduced that the stone belonged to the Hoysala period and three communities, including the Veerapanchala, from those days were mentioned in the inscription.

“Details of the grant or information of local chieftain or others are not clear as only a portion of the stone has been found. An excavation could possibly lead us to other portions which can shed light on the village and its residents who lived there over 800 years ago,” says O Harihara Sudan, an epigraphy student assisting Navalagunda. In August 2018, the Revival Heritage Hub team unearthed a rare stone inscription of the Vijayanagara period in Kumaraswamy Layout, less than a kilometre from the Yelachenahalli site. The 600-year-old tablet had Elajeeyaraha Halli (today’s Yelachenahalli) inscribed on it. Claiming that this inscription is a rare find, historians plan to excavate the site after alerting the state archaeology department.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/13th-century-stone-inscription-found-in-bengaluru/articleshow/83708594.cms, June 25, 2021