The Varanasi Heritage Protection Project - Introduction

 

Conservation and Development 

The Kautilya Society, founded in 1998 and based in Varanasi, is an organisation that networks and facilitates people, across the globe, interested in discovering Indian culture through study and dialogue. To this end, the Kautilya Society supports and promotes various initiatives and projects. One of the projects of the Kautilya Society is aimed at promoting a sustainable urban development in the sacred city of

Varanasi that integrates the protection of the architectural, cultural and natural heritage of the city and is based on proactive participation and consensus of all the stakeholders. The following are the activities that the Kautilya Society has undertaken within the purview of this project:

1. Preparation of a detail report, in collaboration with experts, proposing the enlistment of the Ganga river front ghats and the old city in the World Heritage List of UNESCO.  This report was supported by the Varanasi Development Authority and approved by an ad hoc heritage committee created by the Divisional Commissioner and VDA in 2002. In May 2002, the UP State Government submitted the report to the Ministry for Culture of the Government of India (and to the ASI- the Archaelogical Survey of India). ASI accepted the report and asked VDA to freeze all illegal constructions in the proposed site as a first step towards enlistment in World Heritage List of UNESCO and to prepare the conservation and management plan for the proposed site.The Kautilya Society communicated various times to the VDA that it could constitute an expert panel and facilitate the process of preparing this plan. However, the VDA has not yet come back with a response. We have contacted and have continued to regularly follow up on the proposed candidature of

Varanasi with the Central Ministry for Culture, the UP State government, local authorities, ASI, eminent citizens and politically active people in the city. In an effort to further the UNESCO enlistment process, the Kautilya Society in collaboration with INTACH, Varanasi, facilitated a mission of UNESCO-

Delhi to the city from 11th to 13th February 2007. The UNESCO mission visited the proposed site and discussed related issues with local authorities and political people.

2. Filing a Public Interest Litigation in the High Court of Allahabad appealing that concerned local and state authorities:

  • ensure the implementation of (i) the “Monuments Act” that prohibits new constructions in a 300 metre radius of Nationally Protected Monuments and (ii) the Government Order of 2000 that prohibits constructions 200 metres along the River Ganga on both sides 
  • integrate heritage regulations within the urban and town planning act of the State of Uttra Pradesh (similar to Maharahstra and West Bengal)
  • prepare a specific management plan for the proposed UNESCO site that integrates the protection of the architectural heritage and constitute a heritage committee to approve and monitor all policies, plans and plan implementation in the proposed UNESCO site in Varanasi.

4. The creation of a Conservation Cell in VDA (passed through the VDA board) as the first step to promote architectural conservation as an integral part of VDA urban plans.

5. Monitoring the illegal constructions (as authorised by the Allahabad High Court) on the propsoed heritage site, including Ganga river front ghats and old city area

6. Facilitating joint workshops between students from European and Indian universities aimed at plotting and mapping the proposed site for UNESCO enlistment, to study issues related to the sustainable development of the city and its natural environment (especially the river Ganga and its importance to the existence of the city and Indian culture)
 

7. Publishing articles in journals, newspapers and books, conducting press conferences, participating in seminars and talking to eminent citizens (political, social, academic) so as to discuss on the need for conservation to be an integral part of development and related issues, with specific reference to Varanasi.