Frequently asked questions
What are the constitutional measures with respect to heritage site preservation?
Can there be an approach that reduces the financial burden on the State?
What is the recourse for stopping demolition of precious buildings or preservation of parks?
Who should one approach to restore heritage buildings?
Back to Heritage Site Preservation
Email Webmaster
What are the constitutional measures with respect to heritage site preservation?
Article 48 A Protection and Improvement of environment and safeguard of forests and wildlife: The State shall endeavour to protect and improve the environment and to safe guard the forest and wildlife of the country.
Article 49 Protection of monuments and places and objects of national importance. It shall be the obligation of the State to protect every monument of place or object of artistic or historic interest, declared by or under law made by parliament to be of national importance, from spoliation, disfigurement, destruction, removal, disposal or export, as the case may be.
Can there be an approach that reduces the financial burden on the State?
A possible choice in stemming the process of Heritage decay is State partnerships with private investors.
The role of the private investor would be to provide:
• Capital for restoration and preservation
• The operation and management skills to create a sustainable proposition.
The role for the state would be to provide:
• A range of incentives to ensure the mobilisation of private finance for restoration of
Heritage buildings and parks
• Encourage re-use and re-adaptation of privately owned heritage buildings through tax
incentives
• A process of approval and registration to set national standards and oversee compliance
with them
• Promotional support, especially in attracting foreign tourists
• Concessional loans for new projects related to heritage sites and buildings.
• Ensuring accessibility to public heritage sites and buildings for all.
What is the recourse for stopping demolition of precious buildings or preservation of parks?
Concerned citizens can file Public Interest Litigation (PIL) to prevent demolitions and preserve parks. Two outstanding examples of such action are the prevention of razing the Attara Kacheri monument in 1984 and the Cubbon Park land preservation effort.
Who should one approach to restore heritage buildings?
We lack specialists who have skills in restoration work. Architectural, engineering schools need to start training students on skilled restoration and preservation. Developing trained work forces for dealing sensitively and aesthetically on heritage building style and material has to be encouraged.