Srinagar UNESCO heritage tag in danger
Srinagar's UNESCO heritage tag in danger: survey claims - 42 sites destroyed in two decades, 6% only ruins left
The UNESCO heritage tag of Srinagar, the capital of Jammu and Kashmir, is in danger. A survey by the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) found that around 42 historical sites have been destroyed in the last two decades. Srinagar had a total of 349 historical sites in the year 2003, which has come down to 307 in 2022.
INTACH President Muhammad Salim Baig said that 12% of the sites were destroyed in two decades, while 6% lie in ruins. Recently we again conducted a survey for the Smart City project. We found that 51% of the sites are in a dilapidated condition as per the 2003 list.
According to Salim, the ownership rights of many old Havelis and buildings are with the families associated with them. So, they are demolishing them and building new houses. The owner of an old building on the banks of the Jhelum river said that I have to demolish my house because my family needs modern facilities. The government had earlier planned to help the owners of heritage buildings, but that help never came. That's why we have to demolish them and build a new house.
Salim told that in 2010 a law related to the protection of historic places was made, but it was not implemented on the ground. As a result, historic buildings were torn down. The central government has declared historical sites as industries. On starting new projects at these places, 30% amount is given by the government. However, the Jammu and Kashmir administration did not demand this amount from the Center for a single historical site.
In 2021, UNESCO selected Srinagar out of 49 cities under the Craft and Folk Art category. According to experts, if the historical sites continue to be destroyed in this way, then Srinagar may lose the UNESCO heritage tag.
According to World Monuments Watch, many colleges, hospitals and courts in the city of Srinagar were built during the British Raj. Traditional markets like Maharajganj, Bohri Kadal, Gad Koch and Maharaj Bazar in the downtown area are facing a crisis of survival. Many buildings are made in the 14th century, but they have come in dilapidated condition.
