The “leasing out” of the Red Fort to the Dalmia Bharat Group ran into
criticism and outrage over the weekend. But this isn’t the first or only
instance of adoption of an iconic monument under the “Adopt a Heritage” scheme notified by the Tourism Ministry last
year. Government-owned NBCC has adopted
Purana Qila, and SBI Foundation,
the CSR arm of state-owned State Bank of India, the capital’s Jantar Mantar. Yatra.com has Hampi, Qutub
Minar, and Ajanta and Ellora caves, and GMR and ITC have submitted
proposals for the Taj Mahal. Ninety-three Archaeological Survey of
India-ticketed monuments are open for bidding; 30 companies have been selected
to “adopt” some of these sites.
What will Dalmia do?
As per the MoU, the Dalmia Group
will spend Rs 25 crore over the next five years on the light and sound show,
turnstile gates, app-based multi-lingual audio guide, free Wi-Fi, a cafeteria,
and construction of ramps for differently-abled visitors. NBCC’s mandate at
Purana Qila is similar. According to Union Tourism Minister K J Alphons, “across the world, local communities
protect monuments”, and stakeholders will spend as part of CSR activity, and
not earn any money.
How were they picked?
Monument Mitras, as these
organisations are called, have been selected
through “Vision Bidding”, described as the
process of selection of the agency with the best vision for the heritage site.
The CSR arms of the Monument Mitras will fund the maintenance and upkeep work,
and will get visibility on the premises and on the Incredible India website.
Are there any checks?
The compliance guidelines on the
“Adopt a Heritage” website says, the five-year
contract “can be terminated if the company does not comply with the ASI
guidelines”. The legal status of the
monument will not change after adoption, the company will not collect any
money from the public unless allowed by the government, and profits, if any, will be used to maintain
and upgrade tourism facilities. An Oversight and Vision Committee,
co-chaired by the secretaries of Tourism and Culture, and with the D-G, ASI, as
member, will keep a watch. Projects will be evaluated on increase in tourist
footfall, improvement in overall tourism sector perception, and increase in
employment generation, a Tourism Ministry official said.
What do others do?
Corporates frequently sponsor the
development and upkeep of sites across the world, especially in Europe. The
Colosseum recently underwent restoration work sponsored by the Italian luxury
label Tod’s, while Fendi spent $2.2 million on restoring Trevi Fountain.
Tourist entry at Angkor Wat, Cambodia, is managed by the Sok Kong Import Export
Company, which pays the government a fee. American Express says it has given
nearly $60 million since 1974 to preserve more than 500 iconic historic sites
worldwide.
So, are fears misplaced?
According to conservation
architect A G K Menon, “Governments
can’t do everything, and corporates can be allowed, provided they do it
sensibly”. However, a retired ASI archaeologist cautioned that the organisation
can’t be lax, and must monitor the process and progress of the maintenance and
upkeep work. Even though the government has stressed that corporates will have
limited “access” to core areas, and there
will be “no handing over of monuments”, Alphons told The Indian Express
that “at the sites where there is no ASI involved, the external parties may be
allowed to touch the building as well, subject to the state government’s
approval.”
Credit: Indian Express Explained
(http://indianexpress.com/article/explained/red-fort-adopted-by-dalmia-bharat-group-under-tourism-ministry-scheme-corporates-and-heritage-dos-and-donts-5157771/)
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