DDA’s heritage cell to give a fillip to conservation work

New co-opted members of the Delhi Urban Heritage Foundation include eminent historians Romila Thapar and Amar Farooqui, conservationists A.G.K. Menon and Ratish Nanda and architect Kavas Kapadia.

Eminent historian Romila Thapar among others will be part of the Heritage Cell

Newly co-opted members of the Delhi Urban Heritage Foundation met for the first time at Raj Niwas on Monday. The new members include eminent historians Romila Thapar and Amar Farooqui, conservationists A.G.K. Menon and Ratish Nanda and architect Kavas Kapadia.

According to a release issued from the Lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung's office, a Heritage Cell would be set up at the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to co-ordinate with all agencies involved in conservation of monuments in the Capital. “It was decided that to give a fillip to conservation projects in Delhi, incentive schemes for conservation shall be instituted, so that people in the city are involved in such projects and can take pride in urban heritage of Delhi,” it said.

Speaking to

The Hindu , Ms. Thapar said the focus areas for the foundation were discussed at the meeting. “There was a general discussion on the work the foundation can do. No decisions were taken. Once the foundation decides the areas it will focus on, I will be able to tell you what work I am interested in. I am still understanding what possibilities and limitations the foundation has.”

Ms. Thapar’s school text books on ancient India, written for the National Council of Education Research and Training, were edited during the BJP-led regime in 2002. In an interview to this paper in April this year, she had said: “It started as a small battle under the Morarji Desai government but blew up into an explosion under the BJP government of 1999-2004... We also objected to the political control over the writing of history. But the battery of abuse against us by the religious “nationalists” was too loud for us to be heard.”

On remaining a nominated member of the foundation under a BJP-regime, Ms. Thapar said it had nothing to do with politics. “I don’t see the connection (between politics and the foundation). It is a 13-year old foundation...We were nominated before the election results. The foundation has nothing to do with the polls,” she told this reporter.

A senior official present at the meeting told this paper that the inclusion of new members would give the DDA the expertise it lacks on heritage. “The Heritage Cell will help the DDA plan projects with the knowledge of conservation-related issues and the significance of monuments. The new members would also be able to frame better policies to get people more involved in conservation as Delhi has several monuments that are currently not protected and require public support.”