Centre to remove four Assam sites from ‘Adopt a Heritage’ scheme after protests

The Assam government held talks with protesting groups and took up the issue of the four sites being included in the ‘Adopt a Heritage’ scheme with the Centre.

Updated on: May 11, 2018, 16:48:08 IST

Hindustan Times, Guwahati | By Utpal Parashar

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The Centre has agreed to remove four sites in Assam from its Adopt a Heritage project following protests from various groups and reservations by the Bharatiya Janata Party-led state government, tourism minister Chandan Brahma said on Friday.

The Kaziranga national park was among the four sites proposed to be handed over as part of the scheme. Kaziranga, the largest habitat of the endangered one-horned rhino, is a world heritage site. (PTI File Photo)

The decision was taken after a team led by Brahma met Union tourism minister KJ Alphons on Friday and apprised him of the resentment against the scheme in the state.

“In view of public opinion against the scheme and also our reservations, we met the Union minister and apprised him about it. He has agreed to remove the sites in Assam from the scheme,” Brahma said.

Three Ahom-era monuments in Sibsagar -- Rang Ghar, Kareng Ghar and Siba Doul -- and Kaziranga national park were proposed to be handed over as part of the scheme, which envisages the development of amenities for nearly 100 sites including the Red Fort and Char Minar in Hyderabad.

The scheme, launched in September last year by President Ram Nath Kovind, was opposed by organisations like All Assam Students Union (AASU), Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) and others.

While Kaziranga, the largest habitat of the endangered one-horned rhino is a world heritage site, Rang Ghar, is an eighth-century amphitheatre, Kareng Ghar, the Ahom royal palace and Siba Doul, a Lord Shiva temple.

The three Ahom era monuments are under Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Kaziranga -- the only national park in the country in the list -- falls under the state forest department.

The state government held talks with protesting groups and took up the issue with the Centre to reconsider the decision.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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