By Mohd Ismail Khan, Twocircles.net,
Hyderabad: Civil society activists from different organizations assembled in the Indira Park to register a protest over the growing depredation of heritage sites in Hyderabad.
According to the protesters, Hyderabad being a more than 500 year old city has its own rich heritage and culture. Its monuments and old structures have been phenomenal in representing its diverse culture. But in recent years since the real estate booms in the city this historical monuments have been victims to the siege by land grabbers, and the state government. The Archaeological Survey of India has turned out to be a big failure in protecting these historic monuments.
These civil society activists registered their protest against ASI and demanded them to “protect and preserve heritage and ancient monuments”.
According to the protesters there are nearly 100 monuments located in the city and on its outskirts, which are on the verge of collapse due to long years of negligence and lack of conservation. A majority of these monuments are over 100 years old, while some date back to over 200 years. What is more alarming is that the archeology department even after an order issued by the high court in 2009 seems not bothered to start conservative measures.
The activists enlisted the following structures as those requiring prime and urgent attention:
1. Darul shifa- 400 year old Qutub Shahi hospital is having exceptional heritage value.
2. The char Kaman being integral part of Charminar, is now at its worse affected by encroachments and interventions.
3. Dargah Shah Raju, it is said to be the tallest dome in the state with remarkable features. The structure possesses architectural elements of Deccan, Kakatiyan and Iranian arts.
4. Maula Ali Dargah needs urgent attention with land mafia encroachments on half the land.
5. Patancheru tombs, seem threaten by encroachments from the part of real estate mega complexes.
6. Mosques- many monuments like Khairtabad mosque, Milan Mishk mosque, Musheerabad Badi Masjid, Hayath Nagar Mosque, Kulsumpura mosque, Hakim’s tomb mosque are all threatened by interventions and not protected by ASI. As a result illegal constructions are on progress in the prohibited sites of the Mosques. No cases had been booked against the violators.
7. Burial sites- all the pre-historic burial sites are in danger, like in Begum Pet, in Hasham Pet, and in Golconda Fort.
8. Puranapul Darwaza has been totally encroached.
9. Despite high court orders, the restoration works at Badshahi Ashurkhana is yet to begin. Badshahi Ashoorkhana was build by the first king of Hyderabad Mohd Quli Qutub shah. The structure collapsed in July this year, this very well proves the negligence from the part of state authorities.
They demanded the state to immediately implement conservation activities other than just keeping those in the official sheets. The activists believe that the conservation of heritage monuments is a three step process which includes eviction of encroachers, immediate repair work to stop the monuments from collapsing and an another three year long restoration work.
However, they say that the state archeology department in most cases is stuck at the first step. The protesters expressed their hope that, if maintenance works are initiated now, many of these heritage structures can stand tall for decades to come. But they also have some reservations regarding the work of ASI because they allege it take ages for them to at least start a conservation work.
The civil society activists demanded, ASI to make status document on the protected monuments of the city. They said Joint inspection of all the protected monuments should be carried out by the department and NGOs, to make technical committee of ASI functional and to stop de-notifying heritage sites.