Distribution of artefacts in the museums in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana States seems to be a tedious task indeed, as the Department of Archaeology and Museums is yet to find a suitable person to chair the committee that was constituted by the governments of the two States.
Even 10 months after the division of the State and division of most of the government departments, the issue of sharing of artefacts remained unsettled. Absence of a good number of museums in the State seems to be the prime reason for the delay, as most of the artefacts are housed in the museums in Hyderabad.
“Both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have deputed two members each for a committee that is expected to work on the distribution of artefacts. However, we are yet to find a person to chair the committee,” G.V. Ramakrishna Rao, Director of the Department of Archaeology and Museums of Andhra Pradesh told The Hindu . The idea is to choose an expert in the field to chair the committee, who is neither a native of Andhra Pradesh nor Telangana. The candidature must be approved by both the State governments.
“When we approached a couple of senior IAS officers with the proposal, they advised us to look for someone who has vast experience in the field of museums. We are already on the job and found that it is not that easy,” says Mr. Rao. The department is constructing a building with state-of-the art facilities on the premises of the Victoria State Museum in Vijayawada. Once the works are completed, it can house a good number of artefacts.
Highlighting the need for giving utmost importance to the preservation of the artefacts, convener of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage’s (INTACH) Andhra Pradesh chapter M. Gopalakrishna says there is a lot of confusion over the method to be adopted to undertake the distribution.
Both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have deputed two members each for a committee that is expected to work on the distribution of artefacts. However, we are yet to find a person to chair the committee
G.V. Ramakrishna Rao
Director, Department of Archaeology and Museums