Seek expert help to preserve heritage sites: CS to officials

Jammu, December 14

The Jammu and Kashmir administration has asked the officials concerned to take assistance from experts from Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh for conservation of heritage sites in Jammu and Srinagar.

Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, while seeking update on the measures to conserve and preserve the heritage sites in the Union Territory, remarked that the subject deserves to be dealt technically as it is a specialised field of interest.

The meeting was attended by officials from the PWD, Finance, Tourism and Culture departments, besides Mubarak Mandi Heritage Society, among others.

The Chief Secretary impressed upon the departments to explore the best way of heritage conservation by engaging an experienced consultant, who has prior experience of carrying out such works. He asked them to look into the process elsewhere as that of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh where conservation measures have been taken on large scale.

Dulloo also took note of the progress made on the protection and conservation works on Mubarak Mandi Heritage Complex besides on the Sri Pratap Singh (SPS) Museum, Srinagar. He urged to speed up the progress on such culturally significant projects. He asked the officials to popularise the sites to increase the overall footfall to these places.

The Chief Secretary also discussed about the funding and civil works being carried out in the UT. He also took detailed review of all 35 heritage sites taken up under the scheme for revival, restoration, preservation and maintenance of architecture and heritage in J&K.

At the meeting, Secretary, Tourism & Heritage, Syed Abid Rasheed Shah informed about the progress of the ongoing projects and the plans of the department after their completion. He also laid out the tasks being undertaken by the department to promote all these places based on their cultural value and significance.