Adopt-a-Heritage is violation of monuments Act: TAYPA

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, May 6: The Tai Ahom Yuba Parishad: Assam (TAYPA) has strongly opposed the Ministry of Tourism’s ‘Adopt a Heritage’ Project. Highly criticizing the Ministry’s initiative to pass responsibility over the heritage sites to the hands of the corporate sector, the TAYPA counter quoted the phrase of the corporate – by the corporate and for the corporate.

Referring to ‘the ancient and historical monuments and archaeological sites and remains (Declaration of National Importance) Act, 1951’, the TAYPA said, “The adopt-a-heritage is complete a violation to the said Act and therefore it is misleading and a camouflaged effort to occupy the public property for the corporate.” The TAYPA stressed that there are also other Acts which protect and preserve historical monuments and heritage sites. “Despite that there are a number of Acts to safeguard, why do we need another corporate favoured scheme to maintain the historical remains?” the TAYPA questioned.

The TAYPA revealed that even prior to the introduction of adopt a heritage scheme, the CSR funds were already utilized for renovation and maintenance of different historical sites. Stating that they have been resisting the scheme since its revelation, the TAYPA said: “We’ll never compromise. At any cost we will continue our agitation until it is revoked,” TAYPA added.