Varsity students file PIL againststate, center

Srinagar, Apr 18: Concerned over the “destruction and loot” of heritage sites in the Valley, the Kashmir University Students Union (KUSU) and amateur lawyers of the varsity on Friday filed a Public Interest Litigation before the High Court against center and state government for allegedly vandalizing the heritage sites. The PIL has identified Archeological Survey of India, Department of Archeology and Archives state department of Culture, J&K Cultural Academy and J&K Waqaf Board as respondents. The PIL states that 5000 years old archeological assets discovered at Burzahama here were sent for chemical testing to Kolkatta 30 years ago but never returned. “History, culture and heritage of Kashmir is fading due to the official negligence and some rare manuscripts have either been sold or looted,” the PIL states. It adds that 400 years old holy Quran written by Aurangzeb was stolen from the museum and the authorities concerned are not bothered to trace it. “All Mughal sarai’s on the Mughal Road have been occupied by the troops. The gradual extinction of Kashmir’s heritage is a blot on the face of the departments that claim to be the saviors of Kashmir’s heritage,” the PIL states. The applicant has appreciated the efforts of Greater Kashmir and its sister concern Kashmir Uzma for highlighting the “official negligence” towards the heritage. The PIL states 76 gold and steel coins of Muslim era in India were stolen from the museum here and the culprits were not identified. “The holy shrine of Hazrat Sheikh Noor-u-Din Noorani (RA) is in a bad condition since years. Mahafiz Khana has become a home of birds and decades old records in the Khana are rotting under bird excreta.” The PIL states Godha-Gali, the earliest human establishment in Jammu is yet to be declared as heritage site. “The residence of Ghani Kashmiri has been demolished and four volumes of eight hundred year-old Persian history of Kashmir, Bagh-e-Suleman was lost due to official negligence. Grave of Robert Thorpe lies dilapidated,” the PIL adds. It says the graveyard of kings (Mazaar-e-Salateen) have not been declared state monuments. “The government does not even have the knowledge of the cave of Rumi Rishi.” The tomb of Sultan Shahab-u-Din (1360 hijri) has been converted into a shop site and the Budshah Tomb is yet to be declared as heritage site and its land has been reduced to 3 marals from 23 kanals. The grave yard (Mazar-e-Shura) of legendry poets were never declared heritage sites, it adds.
MUDASIR ALI
SUNDAY, APRIL 20, 2008
GREATER KASHMIR