THE ADMINISTRATION authorities have turned a blind eye to an illegal construction work that is being undertaken in gross violation of norms at Roza-e-Kazmain, an ASI protected monument, which is also an important Shia religious shrine here in Sadatganj area of Old City.
It was on July 6 that the ASI had first drawn the attention of the administration as well as the Hussainabad Trust, the caretaker of the property, towards the construction work. A copy of the written complaint was also sent to the Sadatganj police station for registering an FIR against the offenders. When no action was taken on the complaint, Superintendent Archaeologist SN Kesarwani himself shot off a letter to both District Magistrate Ramendra Tripathi and SSP GK Goswami on July 7 given the serious nature of the offense.
The ASI missive, however, failed to galvanise the officials. Here it is pertinent to mention that while the DM is the chairman of Hussainabad Trust, additional city magistrate (VI) acts as its secretary. But their presence, apparently, failed to make any difference to the offenders, who are not only said to be close to prominent cleric Maulana Kalbe Jawad but reportedly also have his ‘blessings’ for undertaking the construction. Sure enough, Maulana Jawad when contacted admitted that some people had objected to the construction. “But as far as I know there is nothing unlawful about the construction,” he added.
Obviously, the cleric, who otherwise champions the cause of neglected/encroached heritage buildings and Waqf properties, in this case, is unaware of ASI rules that prohibit any construction activity within a radius of 100 metres of a protected monument. As for the administration authorities, they seem to have better things to do than to respond to an ASI SOS for saving a heritage shrine from defacement.
{{/usCountry}}Obviously, the cleric, who otherwise champions the cause of neglected/encroached heritage buildings and Waqf properties, in this case, is unaware of ASI rules that prohibit any construction activity within a radius of 100 metres of a protected monument. As for the administration authorities, they seem to have better things to do than to respond to an ASI SOS for saving a heritage shrine from defacement.
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, people of the area informed that one Raza Iqbal, who was the chief of a committee that looked after the shrine, was supervising the construction work. “The committee members say that this building would serve as a shelter home for widows,” said a local resident.
In fact, the quadrangle building structure around the Kazmain substitutes as a housing option for at least 15 families of the area that reside in them. Ironically, they all claim to have been allotted these premises by none other than the Hussainabad Trust (HT) on a nominal rent. “Leave alone allotment, how can the Trust rent out protected premises? This is not only illegal but against the very spirit and purpose for which the Trust was established in the first place by the Nawabs,” said an ASI officer.
A plan to shift the families to an alternative site following ASI’s objection was mooted in 2005 by the then district magistrate. But thanks to the resistance from a local corporator, again a close aide of Maulana Jawad, the move was shelved.