Hyderabad, January 10: Delhi’s dreams of getting UNESCO’s World Heritage City status is now distant and uncertain as the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has shelved its plans to apply for the status. As the ASI is trying to clear its backlog of applications, Qutub Shahi Tomb in Hyderabad, which was turned down due to lacunae in the final dossier last year, is being re-sent this year, taking up the sole slot for nomination of a cultural heritage site.
Every year, a state party can make two nominations — one cultural and one natural heritage site each — and this year ASI has chosen to resend Qutub Shahi Tomb for the cultural heritage site, postponing Delhi’s plan for next year.
Meanwhile, Ahmedabad is also in the fray for World Heritage City status next year and ASI will have to choose between the two.
Ahmedabad has already made it to UNESCO’s tentative nomination list, while Delhi was withdrawn from the tentative listing a couple of months ago when Ministry of Culture pointed out lacunae in the application.
The ASI had already sent the application for the tentative nomination to UNESCO in September 2011. However, following a review by an advisory committee, set up by the Ministry of Culture to oversee all applications made for the UNESCO World Heritage Sites listings, Delhi’s nomination was called back.
Joint Director General, ASI, B R R Mani told Newsline, “We were asked by Ministry of Culture to withdraw Delhi’s nomination. The Ministry insists that since last year we were denied a World Heritage Site status because of issues in the nomination dossier, it should not be repeated. So, an advisory committee has been set up to review all nominations.”
Mani said a meeting is slated for January 20 when Delhi’s tentative nomination will be reviewed. “The tentative listing can be done anytime of the year, but the final dossier has a deadline of February 1. This year, we are nominating Qutub Shahi Tomb for the cultural heritage site, as it was already in the queue. As for Delhi’s final nomination, the dossier needs more time for preparation and we will consider it next year,” he said.
Sources in Delhi Tourism and Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) — the agencies are preparing Delhi’s final nomination dossier — said the final draft of the nomination is nearly ready and could have been submitted in time for this year as well. Last week, officials of Delhi Tourism, INTACH and other agencies involved in the nomination met Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit to discuss the nomination, and the CM insisted that the nomination be given priority.
Courtesy: Express