GUWAHATI, Nov 13 � The slow progress in preparing the comprehensive development plan (CDP) for Majuli and its surrounding areas may affect the entire process of wresting the world heritage site status for the river island, feared some circles here.
The Majuli Cultural Landscape Management Authority (MCLMA) was formed in 2007 and it floated a global tender in 2009 for preparing the CDP for developing the Majuli Cultural Landscape Region, including Majuli Island and its surrounding areas. Six parties responded to the tender notice and five of them were shortlisted.
These five parties made technical presentations before the experts appointed by the NEDFi, the MCLMA�s bid manager, on November 8.
According to MCLMA Chief Executive Officer Syed Iftikhar Hussain, who is also the Upper Assam Commissioner, the consultant for preparing the CDP will be appointed by the end of December next.
It needs mention here that the first nomination dossier for the world heritage site status of the river island was submitted to the UNESCO on November 14, 2002 and since then the issue of declaring the island as a culturally protected area is hanging fire.
According to general secretary of the voluntary organisation Majuli Island Protection and Development Council (MIPADC) Bharat Saikia, the MIPADC in its November 19, 2001 Garamur conference had adopted a unanimous resolution pleading for steps to make Majuli island a culturally protected place. The MIPADC had prepared the first nomination dossier for wresting the World Heritage Site status to the island.
The voluntary organisation submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on the issue on January 11, 2002. It also tried to raise the issue in the State Assembly and in October 2002 session of the Assembly its working president Rajiv Lochan Pegu, also an MLA from Majuli, raised the issue. But due to lack of time the matter could not be pursued further.
The issue was again raised in the State Assembly in its April 2003 session. The Assembly adopted the proposal that the river island should be declared a culturally protected place.
But preparation and adoption of the legislation Majuli Cultural Region Act took about three and half a year�s time and it was passed by the Assembly on July 13, 2006. This legislation was an inevitable condition for the UNESCO�s conferment of the world heritage site tag on the island.
The general conference of the UNESCO in Lithuania, which was discussing the Majuli dossier that day, could not come to a conclusion due to the delay in passing the legislation by the State Assembly.
The Majuli case was hence referred to the 2008 meeting of the UNESCO. But in 2008 also the agency, which was appointed by the nodal agency Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for improving the Majuli dossier, could not improve it in the desired line and hence the case of the island was deferred to the next UNESCO meeting.
The case of the island was again placed before the UNESCO meeting on world heritage site status this year. But due to �technical deficiency� in the dossier, it was again deferred to the 2014 meeting of the UNESCO.
The ASI in a recent meeting decided that the dossier of the island would be redrafted this time involving the people of the island and the officials of the ASI and the UNESCO to make it a foolproof document.
GUWAHATI, Nov 13 � The slow progress in preparing the comprehensive development plan (CDP) for Majuli and its surrounding areas may affect the entire process of wresting the world heritage site status for the river island, feared some circles here.
The Majuli Cultural Landscape Management Authority (MCLMA) was formed in 2007 and it floated a global tender in 2009 for preparing the CDP for developing the Majuli Cultural Landscape Region, including Majuli Island and its surrounding areas. Six parties responded to the tender notice and five of them were shortlisted.
These five parties made technical presentations before the experts appointed by the NEDFi, the MCLMA�s bid manager, on November 8.
According to MCLMA Chief Executive Officer Syed Iftikhar Hussain, who is also the Upper Assam Commissioner, the consultant for preparing the CDP will be appointed by the end of December next.
It needs mention here that the first nomination dossier for the world heritage site status of the river island was submitted to the UNESCO on November 14, 2002 and since then the issue of declaring the island as a culturally protected area is hanging fire.
According to general secretary of the voluntary organisation Majuli Island Protection and Development Council (MIPADC) Bharat Saikia, the MIPADC in its November 19, 2001 Garamur conference had adopted a unanimous resolution pleading for steps to make Majuli island a culturally protected place. The MIPADC had prepared the first nomination dossier for wresting the World Heritage Site status to the island.
The voluntary organisation submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on the issue on January 11, 2002. It also tried to raise the issue in the State Assembly and in October 2002 session of the Assembly its working president Rajiv Lochan Pegu, also an MLA from Majuli, raised the issue. But due to lack of time the matter could not be pursued further.
The issue was again raised in the State Assembly in its April 2003 session. The Assembly adopted the proposal that the river island should be declared a culturally protected place.
But preparation and adoption of the legislation Majuli Cultural Region Act took about three and half a year�s time and it was passed by the Assembly on July 13, 2006. This legislation was an inevitable condition for the UNESCO�s conferment of the world heritage site tag on the island.
The general conference of the UNESCO in Lithuania, which was discussing the Majuli dossier that day, could not come to a conclusion due to the delay in passing the legislation by the State Assembly.
The Majuli case was hence referred to the 2008 meeting of the UNESCO. But in 2008 also the agency, which was appointed by the nodal agency Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for improving the Majuli dossier, could not improve it in the desired line and hence the case of the island was deferred to the next UNESCO meeting.
The case of the island was again placed before the UNESCO meeting on world heritage site status this year. But due to �technical deficiency� in the dossier, it was again deferred to the 2014 meeting of the UNESCO.
The ASI in a recent meeting decided that the dossier of the island would be redrafted this time involving the people of the island and the officials of the ASI and the UNESCO to make it a foolproof document.
