HMC to set up Heritage Fund

HOWRAH: Taking a leaf out of the British cultural heritage and tourism mission’s advice, the Howrah Municipal Corporation has decided to set up a ‘Heritage Fund’ to preserve the old historic buildings in the town which need to be preserved.
“We are determined to preserve the heritage buildings as they act as a link between the past and the future.Money required for their preservation is undoubtedly a big factor and hence we have decided to set up a Heritage Fund for the purpose,� said HMC chief architect Basudeb Mukhopadhyay. “Everyone from a common man to corporate houses will be asked to donate voluntarily to the fund. A portion of the civic body’s development fund will go to it. We have also sought the help from the government,� he added.Mukhopadhyay has set up a Heritage Conservation Committee comprising historian Nemai Sadhan Bose, architect of BE College Manju Halder, artist Bijon Chowdhury and chief valuer of HIT Samaresh Datta. The committee has seven members, with municipal commissioner P.C. Patra as its chairman, Mukhopadhyay as convener, and Nishit Sen, director of KMDA as an expert.
There are over 100 heritage buildings the 500-year-old town of Howrah and they have become victims of apathy and neglect.
Some of the better known structures are the Howrah Rail Station Building, Town Hall, Downing Hall, Heaton Hall, the clock-tower at BE College, Howrah Telegraph Office, Colvin Court near Howrah Maidan, the old Collectorate Building and Roxburg Building inside Botanical Gardens, named after the German botanist who founded the garden.
Mukhopadhyay said that promoters are bent on converting these heritage structures into high rise buildings. “A number of heritage buildings have either been destroyed or taken over by the promoters, who get hold them through unfair means. It has to be stopped and the heritage conservation committee will take all necessary steps to preserve them,� he added.
He said they would seek help from the Archaeological Survey of India and request them to visit the heritage buildings and perhaps take charge of some. Mukhopadhyay will meet ASI director-general Kasturi Gupta Menon to seek help from the ASI.