Port Blair, June 19: It is for the first time in the history of Andaman and Nicobar Islands that historical sites and monuments will now be given the status of Heritage sites/buildings. The Lt. Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands Lt Gen (Retd) Bhopinder Singh, PVSM, AVSM has constituted a State Heritage Committee which will be chaired by the Chief Secretary and will comprise Commr-cum-Secretary (Art & Culture), Secretary (UD), Dr Rohinder Lall, Representative of Local Born Association, Mr. Aberdeen Blair, Chairman, Tribal Council, Car Nicobar, as Members with Joint Secretary (Art & Culture) as Member Secretary. While Dr Rohinder Lall an eminent physician and member of Local Born Association and a fifth generation respectable citizen will be of valuable assistance to identify the historical sites and monuments in the Andaman group, Mr. Aberdeen Blair, Chairman Tribal Council of Car Nicobar will be of immense assistance to identify historical sites and monuments in the southern group of islands. Dr Rashida Iqbal, Curator will assist the State Heritage Committee.
People may not be aware that even the Cellular Jail, a National Memorial has not yet been declared as a national heritage site. The committee in its first sitting has short listed Cellular Jail, Gallows at the Viper Island, Japanese Bunkers, Chatham Saw Mill and Govt. Boys’ Sr. Sec. School, Middle Point as the heritage sites. More such sites and monuments will be taken up in due course so that these can be fully restored and protected. The State Heritage Committee has decided to carry out proper demarcation of these sites/monuments, appointment of expert consultants for their restoration, provide substantial documentation of the historical events and arrangements for their protection and security. In the first phase site plan and schedule of protection will be prepared including photo documentation and structural description of monuments. This will then be used for notifying the sites/monuments in the official gazette declaring them to be protected by the Department of Art and Culture, A & N Administration.
Upon declaration of gallows of Viper as State Heritage Monument it will be properly restored and protected. The restoration work will be overlooked by the State Heritage Committee. Now in a state of total neglect, its importance will get highlighted upon restoration and gazette notification. The proposed Yacht Marina Project will not interfere with the restoration and protection as the monument will be completely barricaded. For information of public Marina means a harbour for berthing of yachts i.e. creation of jetties for parking of yachts. Presently more than 100 yachts come to the islands every year and these are anchored all over the islands thereby giving ample scope of undesirable activity that may be carried out by some unscrupulous elements without the notice of the government machinery. Therefore, the yacht marina project aims to have all yachts berthed at one place to exercise proper command and control to ensure that no undesirable activity takes place, and also to generate employment for the local youth.
No undesirable activities like night clubs or casinos will ever take place as has been rumoured by some vested interests with malafide intention to mislead the people. On the contrary the State Heritage Committee and the Administration will ensure that the sanctity of the gallows of the Viper Island and other heritage sites and buildings is maintained, protected and showcased to the visiting tourists.
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