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CONSERVATION AND
REHABILITATION OF BUILT HERITAGE
Traditionally the kings and state
machinery used to cater for the maintenance of the
public works, Grand mosques and mausolea, and also
monuments created by earlier patrons. In Sindh the
Summas are known to have played active role in this
regard. Arghuns, Turkhans and Talpurs not only looked
after such buildings in Sindh, but provided regular
financial assistance for the structures at home and also
abroad , such as in Jerusalem, Iraq, Hijaz and Persia .
Even after losing the country to Britishers, the
Amirs of Sindh still continued to remit funds,
through British Resident in Iraq, for such works.
2. It was a popular continuation of the
tradition that Britishers felt compelled to undertake
the restoration works on Shahjahani Mosque, Thatta and
Mirza Essa Turkhan’s Tomb at Makli, in follow up of such
earlier bid by Mir Fateh Ali Khan Talpur. The
Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) after its
creation undertook restoration of selected historic
monuments and developed a strategy of conservation,
which is spelled out in the Conservation Manual
(1922). After the independence the Department
of Archaeology continued the policy of the ASI
and classed the monuments under these categories:
i)
Those monuments which from
their present condition or historical or archaeological
value ought to be maintained in permanent good repair.
ii)
Those monuments which it is
now only possible or desirable to save from further
decay by such measures as the eradication of vegetation,
the exclusion of water from the walls, and the like.
iii)
Those monuments which, from
their advanced stage of decay or comparative
unimportance, it is impossible or unnecessary to
preserve.
3. This policy, as
can be seen, is quite out dated and the world community
has taken more progressive view of the issue. UNESCO has
spelled out the will of the people of the world and
framed these into conventions for the guidance of
member countries. Conventions concerning the
protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage
required of each state party to ensure that active and
effective measures are taken for the protection,
conservation and preservation of the cultural and
natural heritage (Article 5). But the old practice, lack
of funds and under developed human resources has created
a situation, where the concern of the people regarding
fast deterioration of their valuable physical heritage
is mounting with passage of every day.
4. The indulgence of government
with the maters of Culture started quite early in Sindh,
compared with other provinces. The Sindhi Adabi Board
did great service for Sindh’s Literature and History,
during fifties and sixties; however in seventies a cell
was established in the Education Department to look
after the cultural issues. Same cell grew into
Directorate of Culture and subsequently became
Department of Culture.
5. There is no doubt that this
department has contributed greatly towards promotion and
projection of rich culture of Sindh. It continued to be
a leader in Cultural promotional activities. The sphere
of its activities was specific to intangible heritage,
as there was no clear concept spelled out in any policy
guidelines or articulated in its establishments, such as
(1) Bhitshah Culture Centre Committee, (2) Mehran Arts
Council, Hyderabad, (3) Sachal Academy, Khairpur.
Sindh Provincial Museum Hyderabad too is an
ethnological depository. However the popular sentiment
did exist for the protection of the archaeological sites
and historic monuments in the province.
6. The Antiquities Act 1975
(as amended in 1976), and federal Department of
Archaeology and Museum (DOAM) was deemed sufficient
to look after the built heritage of the country. Seeing
the gradual deterioration of the monuments and sites a
sense of resentment grew into demand for establishment
of Provincial Department of Archaeology. It was not
realized that the Department of Archaeology and
Museums was handicapped by default, as the discourse
of Archaeology is limited to the study of
past, through the remains of structures, artifacts and
settlements of the past, and surely not beyond that. The
Antiquities Act was to ensure that the material evidence
of the development of human culture is protected;
thus the concept of conservation of built heritage did
not take roots in this country.
7. The efforts of the
Department of Archaeology and Museum for restoration
of the monuments were considered in gross violation of
International conventions and have been widely
criticized, the reason for it can be; one; that is there
exists no other mechanism or guideline but the age old
Conservation Manual of twenties and The
Antiquities Act following these practices few
projects were undertaken by the Provincial Departments
in Sindh and unfortunately these were also considered
not better than the previous practices. The renovation
of Kot Diji Fort undertaken by District
Government Khairpur was widely criticized, and the work
on Ranikot by District Government Dadu was too
highly deplored, the Advisory Committee for Sindh
Cultural Heritage had to intervene and stop the
work.
8. The Conservation has come a
long way, it encompasses not only the in-depth study of
the monument, building materials, structural strength,
soil, pigments, environmental effects, but also the
historic process and usage, evolution of cultural
ambience and socio cultural aspects, coupled with the
economic viability of the development works to be
carried out. Then follows the (conservation) work, to
arrest the decay by removing the causes, and finally the
unavoidable physical intervention is designed, on basic
principles such as reversibility, minimum interference,
authenticity of material and design.
9. There have been incidences
where the heritage sites and monuments have been
vandalized, encroached upon and undermined. Sometimes
the newspapers reported, reflecting reaction of
out-raged society, but official response was not simply
there, as this business is not assigned to any one.
Traditionally no provincial agency thought it their duty
to intervene in matters, where archaeological sites were
concerned, or monuments which were not maintained by
them. The neglect of years is also telling upon the
built heritage.
10. As far as the federal
government is concerned, there are only 129 monuments
and sites protected under The Antiquities Act, 1975
in Sindh. On the other hand the number of important
buildings/structures is much higher. The primary list
prepared by the office of the Director General (Projects
& Special Initiatives) has more than 800, and there is
no one to look after the related issues of built
heritage in this province.
11. The specialists and concerned
citizens have been raising the voice for creation of a
department to undertake preservation of the tangible
heritage of the province. This important aspect was
responded with the creation of the Office of the
Director General specially to undertake conservation and
rehabilitation of the historical buildings in 2006.
12. To take care of the built
heritage. In this regard various schemes were prepared
to carryout a detailed study and analysis of a few
deteriorating monuments and conserve these by arresting
the causes of decay.
13. It is in the month of
January, that 08 office of DG(P&SI) was converted
into the Department of Antiquities.
14. The Department of
Antiquities have proceeded with its development plan
and got six schemes approved in current year ADP
( Annexure I)
15. The work on the initial
survey and documentation of vast heritage of the
province has started , that is being carried out under
scheme of Survey and also conservation and
rehabilitation work on few remarkable historical
buildings is initiated. |
