Save Heritage Sites

That heritage is important for knowing the story of a nation, is something that one learns in early school days. Sadly enough, most of our senior bureaucrats – some wielding absolute authority – are first to forget these lessons on entering into the corridor of power. Truth is that in 1947, the feudal autocracy handed over from pristine water bodies, lush green dense forests to heritage sites everything intact to the ‘popular government’. Nonetheless, for nonchalance, lack of commitment and vested interests of the senior bureaucracy and political leadership the state not only failed to preserve its natural treasures but also failed to protect important heritage sites. In fact for the active connivance of the political leadership the city Srinagar is faster than expected losing an important heritage site – the wall around the iconic hillock in the heart of the city. For vote politics and corruption, the District administration has allowed shanty colonies around the 500-year-old wall built during the rule of Mogul Emperor Akbar. The unscrupulous elements have been pulling down the wall with impunity and used the material for constructing hutment on both the sides of the wall. Many important monuments and landmark heritage wood structures, including Khanqahs and shrines, for apathetic attitude of the government and the State Wakf Board were destroyed. On 25 June 2012, Astana of revered saint Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jeelani (RA) was devastated in a mysterious fire. The fire had caused a lot of anguish in people across the religious divide and brought Kashmir to a grinding halt for seven days. On 15, 2017 the Khanaqah-e-Moula, another seven hundred year old place of worship was damaged in a mid-night blaze, which like that of the shrine of Dastageer Sahib started from the minaret. Had the administration and the Wakif Board learnt from the destruction of Dastageer Sahib shrine, and carried fire audit of the religious and other public places, perhaps the Khanaqah-e-Moula would have been saved from the damage. Many other centuries-old religious places, because of the apathy of the Wakf Board and Divisional Administration continue to be vulnerable. Taking cognizance of the lackadaisical attitude of the administration towards fire safety of heritage and public buildings Governor N. N. Vohra directed the state government to ensure audit of public places. The administration without any delay should take adequate steps for protecting the heritage and public place.