Srinagar, Nov 20: The High Court has directed the government to preserve the premises of Mehjoor Ghar as a cultural heritage. The Court has also asked its Joint Registrar to inspect the premises within two weeks and file the report  
 In response to a petition seeking directions for preservation of the residential house of famed poet of Kashmir, Ghulam Ahmad Mehjoor at Metrigam in south Kashmir known as ‘Mehjoor Ghar’ the Court said, “Premises should be preserved, besides Joint Registrar of High Court will inspect the premises within two weeks and file the report.”
 Petitioners, grandchildren of Ghulam Ahmad Mehjoor, through their counsel, G A Lone had prayed that despite the renovation of the Mehjoor Ghar, there were impediments from the non official respondents(other descendents of Mehjoor) to preserve the premises as cultural heritage by using it as museum.
 The counsel pleaded before the court that the house built by Mehjoor continues to be in existence and the government in an apparent move to preserve it as heritage site took in hand its renovation but the passive support of the non official respondents has frustrated the move.
 “The government has decided that the residential house along with two other structures adjacent to it including the land shall be preserved as cultural heritage and has hit the renovation of the structures but nothing tangible has emerged as the official respondents have done nothing to save the site from the encroachments and damages,” the counsel argued.
 The petitioners while seeking the court directions to preserve the Mehjoor Ghar as cultural heritage have alleged in the petition that although the work on the Mehjoor Ghar was completed in 2008, the respondents did not allow its operation as museum on one pretext or the other.
 The counsel for the petitioners pleaded that the respondents are opposed to the conversion of Mehjoor Ghar into Museum and have created hurdles in setting up of a full-fledged library.
 “They have even now tried to usurp the Mehjoor Ghar by construction of a kitchen over a part of the verandah of the Mehjoor Ghar, besides the room which was used by Mehjoor as a sitting and bedroom has been damaged by destroying a part of its wall and have fixed a door upon it,” the counsel told the court.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 20 Nov 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
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