Centre renominates Majuli island for World heritage status
>From Our Spl Correspondent Assam Tribune
NEW DELHI, Feb 5 After having lost its case in 2006, the Centre has again
nominated Majuli Island for inscription on the World Heritage Site List under
the Cultural Landscape. The official announcement today came even as Chief
Minister, Tarun Gogoi clarified that the Rs 20 crore sanctioned by the Planning
Commission here yesterday for the River Island, would not be spent on flood
control measures but for preservation of the heritage sites.
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), which acts as the nodal agency for
nomination of Indian sites on the World Heritage List, meanwhile, has prepared
a detailed document with the help of consultants and has submitted the
additional information for consideration of the World Heritage Committee at its
next meeting to be held at Quebec City, Canada in June 2008, officials sources
said.
Given the complexity of the site, the additional documentation has been
prepared using a multi-disciplinary approach and in consultation with a number
of field agencies including those under the Ministry of Water Resources and the
Government of Assam, sources added.
In addition to Majuli, the Kalka-Shimla Railway has been submitted as a fresh
Cultural nomination for inscription on the World Heritage List in 2008. This
nomination has also been evaluated by ICOMOS for UNESCO.
Last October, the Prime Minister had called a meeting to review the progress of
the documentation at a high level meeting attended by Union Tourism and Culture
Minister, Ambika Soni and Union Water Resources Minister, Prof. Saifuddin Soz.
The meeting took stock of the threat of erosion by the Brahmaputra River.
Subsequently, a high level central team assisted by Director General, ASI,
Anshu Vaish, visited Majuli Island last November for an on-site review of the
status.
India currently has 27 World Heritage Sites, 22 of which are Cultural and five
Natural. Red Fort was the most recent addition to the list last year. If
inscribed, Majuli Island will be first world heritage site in India under the
cultural landscape category, which contains both cultural and natural
components.
Majuli is among the worlds largest reverine islands. It is located in the
upper reaches of the Brahmaputra River. For the past five hundred years or so,
Majuli has been seen as the cradle of Assamese culture and a centre of the
neo-Vaishnavite movement. It has 31 Sattras, which are institutions of culture
and education, and are also the main repositories of the cultural resources of
Majuli.
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