MYSORE: Architects, conservation experts and other resource persons who took part in a national conference on heritage cities here on Monday have come out with six recommendations, including setting up of an experts' committee, to conserve heritage cities. The recommendations will be forwarded to the Union Government.

The Indian National Trust for Architectural and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) compiled the recommendations during the conference organised under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). The recommendations to be presented to the Union Government include setting up of a central committee comprising heritage experts for conservation of heritage cities and setting up subcommittees for each of the 10 heritage cities identified under the JNNURM for development. The 10 heritage cities are Nainital, Ujjain, Mysore, Puri, Nanded, Bodh Gaya, Ajmer-Pushkar, Srinagar, Mathura and Hardwar.

The delegates said the comprehensive development plan for these cities should keep in mind the heritage aspects of the cities. The development plans must compulsorily seek the suggestions and advice of heritage experts, social scientists and environmental experts, among others.

Another important recommendation was on the participation of people in evolving programmes for the development of heritage cities.

In the light of the JNNURM being implemented for the benefit of people, the conference said that unless people are not involved in conservation programmes, their implementation would not be effective.

Identifying the need to develop human resource potential and capacity building skills, the experts stressed the need for UNESCO and INTACH to train the personnel concerned.

Besides, the local governments should also evolve plans to raise resources internally as they would be responsible for development after the JNNURM would expire after seven years. During the validity of the JNNURM, the Union Government would be responsible for all projects in the selected cities.

Seventy delegates representing UNESCO, UNDP, INTACH, World Bank, ADB and heritage experts and conservationists took part in the deliberations.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail