By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Guwahati: Assam government has prepared an action plan to get the coveted World Heritage site tag for the historic Charaideo Moidam of Ahom era in Assam’s Sivasagar district.
Charaideo Moidam found place in the tentative list among the 46 monuments selected by UNESCO for India in April 2014. Charaideo Moidam has been nominated under Criteria V for ‘outstanding example of a traditional human settlement, land-use, or sea-use which is representative of a culture (or cultures) or human interaction with the environment especially when it has become vulnerable under the impact of irreversible change.”
Charaideo file photo (Courtesy: flamingotravels.com)
A meeting convened by Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi in Guwahati on Thursday at his official conference room with officials of the Sivasagar district administration and Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) decided to meet the timelines and to prepare the dossier fulfilling all the criteria set by UNESCO for according World Heritage site status to Charaideo Moidam.
The Chief Minister asked the Sivasagar district administration, Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and State Archaeology authorities to take immediate steps to form the Charaideo Moidam Complex Area Management Authority for preservation and protection of the Charaideo Moidam. Necessary legislation would be framed to protect the monument in this regard.
Gogoi directed the officials to take steps for conservation, beautification of the complex, smooth connectivity to the moidam, shuttle services to the monument and regulating the major development activities that would pose a threat to the monument. A clear demarcation of the area of the monument and the buffer zone with revenue maps would also be carried out. The total estimated cost would be Rs 41.51 crore.
The officials apprised the Chief Minister about the slew of steps being initiated to meet the timelines to complete the documentation on Charaideo Moidam and submission of draft nomination dossier to Government of India for onward transmission to UNESCO by September 2016.
The Chief Minister directed the Principal Secretary, Tourism, VS Bhaskar to prepare a comprehensive action plan for development of tourism in the state within two months.
Gogoi also directed the Deputy Commissioner, Sivasagar, SS Meenakshi Sundaram to initiate steps to start the long-delayed light and sound show at Talatalghar through Assam Tourism Development Corporation and in consultation with ASI.
It was decided in the meeting that a Folk Festival would be organised by Department of Cultural Affairs at Sivasagar in the coming winter. The Department of Tourism would organise a tour operators and media exposure visit to promote tourism in Sivasagar.
Charaideo was the first capital of the Ahom kingdom established by the first Ahom king Chao Lung Siu-Ka-Pha in 1228. It contains sacred burial grounds of Ahom kings and queens and is also the place of ancestral Gods of the Ahoms.
The meeting was attended, among others, by Principal Secretary, Planning & Development, KV Eapen, Principal Secretary to CM, MGVK Bhanu, Commissioner & Secretary, Cultural Affairs, Swapnalil Barua, Project Director, DRDA, Sivasagar, Extra Assistant Commissioner, Sivasagar, Circle Officer, Nazira, Superintendent Archaeologist, ASI, Guwahati and DIPRO, Sivasagar.