Tourism Minister promises to visit falling structures; MLCs seek Rs. 1,000 crore in Budget
Belagavi: Tourism Minister Anand Singh has assured the Legislative Council that he will shortly visit Mysuru to inspect heritage structures including the Maharani’s Science College, a portion of which collapsed about two months ago.
Replying to the discussion under Rule 330 on the demand for budgetary allocation for conservation of heritage structures in Mysuru at the ongoing winter Assembly session in Belagavi, Singh said that in all, there are 131 listed heritage structures in Mysuru.
“An expert committee has been formed to submit a report on the status of these heritage structures and measures will be taken on repairs and conservation once the Committee submits its report. It is the responsibility of the District Administration as well as the departments which were occupying the heritage structures for the upkeep of the structures,” he added.
The issue was raised by JD(S) MLCs C.N. Manjegowda and Marithibbegowda who said that there was a threat to several heritage buildings in Mysuru that were on the verge of collapsing.
Reassuring that he will shortly inspect the structures along with the Ministers concerned so that immediate restoration steps are taken, Anand Singh said heritage committees had been constituted in all districts of the State. Each of these committees have 27 members comprising officials, members of NGOs and heritage experts, he added.
Raising the issue, Manjegowda and Marithibbegowda noted that that a portion of the first floor of the Chemistry Lab building of the century-old Maharani’s Science College building on JLB Road came down on Oct. 21 causing widespread concern among the people and students and teachers had panicked.
Marithibbegowda said that the tragedy had been averted by the alert college authorities, who vacated the building minutes before the collapse. The MLC lamented that the authorities had not bothered to repair the building and even the Mysuru District Minister is yet to visit the collapsed structure of the college.
The MLCs said that after the collapse of a portion of Lansdowne Building and Devaraja Market over the last few years, the next to fall was the Maharani’s Science College building. This is due to sheer neglect, they said.
Urging the Govt. to take immediate measures for safeguarding heritage structures, both the MLCs demanded that the Government frame laws on maintenance of heritage structures. They also wanted the Government to allocate Rs. 1,000 crore in the State Budget for heritage conservation and restoration.
Our heritage structures should be preserved but sometimes we may have to forego them when the structures are in irreparable state. In Mysore many structures are now beyond their shelf life. It’s better to move on rather than spend tax payer’s money in renovating them and endangering people’s lives.
Hey Santosh
Living in Mysore and corrupt India, you are not still getting it!
This so called restoration o heritage structures in Mysore, gives this minister Singh, an opportunity to report back to that idiot Bommai the CM, and ask for a few hundred crores as restoration fund.
With the done,, he will select contractors to do the work, the minister, the CM and other politicians will get the usual 40% commission from the contractors.
They do not care heritage but only have eyes for the money flowing into their bank accounts.
Hey Santosh
Living in Mysore and corrupt India, you are not still getting it!
This so called restoration o heritage structures in Mysore, gives this minister Singh, an opportunity to report back to that idiot Bommai the CM, and ask for a few hundred crores as restoration fund.
With the done,, he will select contractors to do the work, the minister, the CM and other politicians will get the usual 40% commission from the contractors.
They do not care heritage but only have eyes for the money flowing into their bank accounts.
I know this so called heritage fund gives opportunity for the corrupt politicians to take a good slice off them for themselves.
Except the Palace, Chamundi Hill and a couple other buildings, others do not have strong heritage value, and are in such pathetic state, it is best to demolish them, to put them out of their miserable existence.
India does not have the expertise to repair these century old buildings, not there are materials that can be generated to do the renovation work, which itself is a skill set, and is lacking in India.