HYDERABAD: Though the Telangana High Court, while delivering the verdict on Errum Manzil, issued specific directions to the government to revamp the heritage structures in the State, a look into the working of the heritage department shows that nothing much has changed to achieve what now seems to be a lofty goal.
Look at the fate of the few important heritage structures in Hyderabad. For instance, Errum Manzil speaks of years of indifference. Although it has survived the demolition scare, the grand palace built by Nawab Fakhr-ul-Mulk stands in a dilapidated condition.
As a heritage activist put it, "It is as if the State government is waiting for it to fall down.” It is not just Errum Manzil, the other protected monuments under Regulation 13 in the city too cry for attention. According to the study Revitalisation of Historic Core of Hyderabad published in an Italian journal, the Shah Khurshid Rath Khana of Old City "used to serve as stables for horses. Today a logistics company is based here."
Similarly, the management of the Jama Masjid (another structure under Regulation 13) in Charminar has had to take up restoration projects spending from its own pocket as the State government did not release funds.
On top of that, in violation of several rules, the mosque had initiated extra construction works within the property. The first impediment in honouring the High Court’s direction comes from the fact that there is no full-time director for the heritage wing since NL Visalatchy’s tenure as the Director of Heritage Telangana department ended in April, 2019.
After the completion of Visalatchy’s tenure, A Dinakar Babu, the then Managing Director of Sports Authority of Telangana State, was appointed as in-charge director of Heritage Telangana, which was earlier known as the Department of Archaeology and Museums.
‘Need proper support for Heritage Telangana’
However, Babu too retired in December, 2019 and a notification was issued by the State stating that Korra Lakshmi, Director of State Art Gallery, was made Commissioner of Tourism and in-charge director of Heritage Telangana. Now Principal Secretary of Youth Advancement, Tourism and Culture, Burra Venkatesham has been appointed as in-charge director of Heritage Telangana.
A Heritage official said the decision to appoint in-charge directors was the State’s policy decision and indicated that it maybe because of the reduced Budget. In September 2019, the State’s Budget was reduced to Rs 1.46 lakh crore from Rs 1.82 lakh crore proposed in the vote-on-account in February.
The Budget allocation for Archaeology and Museums department was reduced from Rs 1,047.26 lakh for 2018-19 to Rs 9.40 lakh for 2019-20.
Anuradha Reddy, the convenor of Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage, Hyderabad, said, "In erstwhile Hyderabad State’s archaeology department we had stalwarts like Ghulam Yazdani heading it. The department had ample support from the government in terms of funding. So today it would be apt to appoint someone of the same calibre."
The HC had reinstated the Regulation 13 of HUDA 1995 after it was abruptly removed by the State. The HC had asked the State to form heritage committees as mandated under the Telangana Heritage Law 2017, and implement the aforesaid law immediately.