“Tamil Nadu is known for its rich heritage and cultural properties and it is needless to emphasise that these have to be preserved and protected at all costs and for posterity…”
That’s how the preamble of the Tamil Nadu Heritage Commission Act, 2012, begins. Ironically, the law, envisaging the establishment of a statutory authority to advise the government on heritage issues, is yet to see the light of the day. Rules are yet to be framed and the Commission is still not in place.
In April 2012, when the government announced its decision to enact a law on heritage commission, the move was welcomed by activists and conservationists. Within weeks of the announcement came the passage of a Bill on heritage commission, which took the cue from a similar law in West Bengal.
In no time, it got the assent of Governor K. Rosaiah too. But, the progress has been tardy since then.
On the delay, an official terms it as “routine” and refuses to elaborate. For long, it was said the government had not yet finalised names of those who would form part of the 17-member proposed Commission.
Any change in the composition of the body, which has just two non-official members, has to be done only through an amendment to the law, which is a long process, officials say.
Mamallapuram Heritage Authority Another initiative of the government in 2012, the Mamallapuram World Heritage Area Management Authority, also has not been set up.
The inspiration came from the model of the Hampi World Heritage Area Management Authority.
The objective was to effectively manage the group of Mamallapuram monuments dating back to the 7 and 8 Century AD.
Meant for conservation of the cultural heritage of the area, declared a world heritage site in 1984, the suggested body too was to be set up through legislation.
For two years, official documents placed on the floor of the Assembly had reference to it but the policy note of the Culture Department this year has no traces of it.
A senior official says that a close perusal of the Central law — Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (Amendment and Validation) Act – reveals that the other initiative stands irrelevant in view of stringent provisions in the Central law. Besides, the Hampi model has not been a great success, the official claims.
On the status of two initiatives of the State government, S. Muthiah, historian and heritage expert, underscores only one point. “If the government does not consider heritage a priority area, nothing is going to happen. Any substantial progress can be made only if there is will on the part of the government.”
