WHO is responsible for protection of the historic Kalai (Mughal City Wall) in this City in the Himalayas? Well, the concerned departments disown the responsibility as they pass the buck on to each other. This blame-game mocks at the coalition government claims of having declared the monument protected.
 Even though in March this year, the government claimed to have declared the rampart protected, no department is willing to hold responsibility for its protection vis-à-vis removal of encroachments, which have badly affected the heritage left behind by Mughal emperor Jalal-Ud-Din Muhammad Akbar and his royal family.

WHO WILL BELL THE CAT?
 The department of Archaeology which was expected to be primarily responsible for the wall protection is not willing to own it.
 And interestingly, no official except the Director is willing to speak on the issue terming it “politically sensitive”.
 “No doubts Kalai is being badly victimized, but we don’t want to comment on this politically sensitive issue,” said a official requesting not to be named.
 When contacted, Director Archaeology, Sonam Gylson said his department alone wasn’t responsible for the protection of the monument.
 “Several other agencies including the District Magistrate Srinagar and the Tourism department are involved in the process,” Gylson told Greater Kashmir.
 Elaborating his point, Gylson said the first issue was the removal of encroachments.
 “This had to be taken care of by the district Magistrate who had to issue notification in this regard,” the Director said.
  “People have done the encroachments of their own. Law enforcement (for removal of encroachments) is to be done by the district magistrate,” he added.
 After removal of encroachments, he said, comes conservation/protection of the rampart.
 “For this Tourism department is already working on a plan, and we have left it for them to decide and do the needful,” Gylson added.

TOURISM PLEADS
 The Director Tourism, Farooq Shah minces no words to admit that the department was preparing a proposal for the conservation of the 4.75 KM Kalai and its interiors locally known as Naagar Nagar.
 “But this is simply a goodwill gesture aimed at making the area a tourism attraction. Otherwise, conservation or for that matter protection of monuments is neither our responsibility nor domain,” Shah said.
 He said the department has prepared a Detailed Project Report for the Naagar Nagar conservation adding that the same was to be handed over to the central government for funding.
 “Government of India has taken up the project very keenly,” the official added.
 But to bell the cat on removal of encroachments, the Director Tourism without pinpointing any department said, it was the responsibly of the urban bodies to have done it.
 He agreed that conservation work couldn’t be started unless the encroachments are removed.
 Pertinently, the Tourism department has been speaking about the Kalai since the time it was declared protected.
 That time the then Commissioner Secretary Tourism Tanveer Jahen while referring to the Kalai encroachments said: “We will be recommending removal of all the encroachments near the wall and develop it as a repository of an era of our rich history. We want to bring the Old City on the map of tourism.”

THE ENCROACHMENTS
 Major portion of the 4.75 KM long Kalai has been encroached upon while the stretch between the three main gates of the historic wall –the Kathi, Bachi and Sangeen Darwazas, is worst hit.
 Scores of houses and other building structures have come in the proximity of the Kalai so much so that the Mughal rampart is making the forth wall of many hutments.
 Observers have been alleging that “vote bank politics” was a main hindrance in the removal of the encroachments.
 Despite repeated attempts, the District Magistrate Srinagar, Meraj Ahmed Kakroo and Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Dr Asghar Samoon didn’t respond to phone calls.

THE HISTORY
 In 16th century Mughal emperor Akbar started the construction of the wall around the then City in the heels of Koh-e-Maran, in Shahr-e-Khaas.
 Apart from providing protection to the princely houses inside, the wall was a security cover for the fort atop the Koh-e-Maran. But for now, the rampart sans protection.

BOTTOMLINE
 With the concerned departments preferring blame game, the Mughal issue looks to have turned a litmus test for Deputy Chief Minister, Tara Chand who recently said government would take immediate measures for Kalai protection.

Lastupdate on : Sat, 4 Dec 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 4 Dec 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sun, 5 Dec 2010 00:00:00 IST