UN worry over Ancient Hindu Site

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India's World Heritage site in Hampi at grave risk: UNESCO

Thu Jul 10, 8:06 AM ET

UN worry over Ancient Hindu Site

 

NEW DELHI (AFP) - The construction of a bridge poses a "grave risk"

to a World Heritage site in the southern Indian state of Karnataka,

the head of the United Nations (news - web sites) Educational

Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO (news - web sites))

said.

 

 

UNESCO director general Koichiro Matsuura told a press conference

here Thursday that he had met Indian Culture Minister Jagmohan

Malhotra to voice his concerns about the risk the construction posed

to India's oldest Hindu civilisation in Hampi.

 

 

"I conveyed my worries and concerns to India's cultural minister and

he shared my sentiments completely. We were on the same wavelength.

He promised to keep a close watch on the site in Hampi," said

Matsuura.

 

 

UNESCO officials say the construction of a cable suspension bridge at

Talavaraghatta on the Tungabhadra river at Hampi endangers the

ancient Hindu ruins of the Vijayanagar Empire.

 

 

"The historical site in south India is at grave risk because of

construction activity in its vicinity," said Matsuura.

 

 

The ruins of India's oldest Hindu civilisation in Hampi, set in a

strange and beautiful boulder-strewn landscape, has become a thriving

travellers' centre since it was added in 1986 to the UN World

Heritage List.

 

 

On June 27, the Karnataka state high court ordered the government to

halt work on the bridge after a public interest petition was filed in

court by a group of historians.

 

 

The state government is likely to contest the ruling later this

month.

 

 

"Rapid urbanization and construction activity continues to threaten

the 745 sites on the UN World Heritage List. In this regard, I would

like to applaud the role played by the Indian media in alerting us

and the public to a similiar risk posed to the Taj Mahal in Agra

city," said Matsuura.

 

 

A public outcry last month stoked by the Indian media forced the

northern state of Uttar Pradesh to shelve construction of a garish

tourist complex near India's majestic Taj Mahal,

 

 

The 17th-century white marble mausoleum took Moghul ruler Shahjahan

20 years and 20,000 artisans to build in memory of his empress

Noorjahan, who died in childbirth.

 

 

Some workers had their hands or thumbs amputated to ensure that the

pristine perfection of the Taj could never be repeated.

 

 

"I am glad our concerns on the Taj issue have been addressed," added

Matsuura.

 

 

"Please continue to keep the public informed about any dangers posed

to the World Heritage sites in India."

 

 

There are 24 World Heritage sites in India, including rock caves with

prehistoric paintings in Bhimbetka in the central state of Madhya

Pradesh which was added to the list in July.