EXISTENCE OF city's oldest church, Holy Trinity, is being threatened by none other but a school run on its campus. The school management, in its quest for expansion, has started construction work very close to this church of historical importance.
Though the church is yet to be declared a protected monument by the ASI, however, rules framed by it say that any structure which is not less than hundred years old comes under the category of 'Ancient Monument'. A protected monument is that which is of national importance. Though this church does not come under this category, yet it has the importance of an ancient monument and as such it becomes the moral responsibility of the citizens and the administration to protect it.
ASI rules also state that no structure should be raised within a radius of 200 feet from the existing structure declared as protected. However, this loophole was being exploited by the school management which appears to be hardly bothered about the sentiments of members of its own community which are being hurt.
Eightyfour-year-old ES Philips, who is the warden of this church and is backed by several right minded members of Christian community, has written to the Director ASI.
{{/usCountry}}Eightyfour-year-old ES Philips, who is the warden of this church and is backed by several right minded members of Christian community, has written to the Director ASI.
{{/usCountry}}The letter states that that the church located on Moti Lal Nehru Road is over 165 years old and is the oldest church in Allahabad. The church is, therefore, a heritage site and needs to be protected under the provisions of the AMASR Act, 1958 and rules,1959 and Antiquities and Art Treasures Act 1972 and rules, 1973. It has also been stated in the letter that the ASI is duty bound to protect the monument from decay and degeneration.
The church management, it may be mentioned, had no objection to the school being run on its campus as long as it was confined to its original size. The terms and conditions under which the church land had been given to the school is not being made available to the church committee. The secretary RD De Camp is reported to have told the church committee that the document has been eaten away by white ants despite the fact that the school came up shortly after 1990.
The warden and the church members have also petitioned the Commissioner Lalit Varma to put immediate stop on the construction work. They have also urged the Commissioner to provide the church committee with a copy of the initial lease agreement between the Diocese and the school authorities in order to promote transparency and accountability as also to contain malpractices and harmonize conflicting interests.
When contacted the Legal Consultant of the school KV Singh disputed the claim of ES Phillips that he was the church warden. He has no authority to intervene. He was just given a piece of land to live but he has himself violated the terms and condition of the lease. Whatever is being done is in the knowledge of the Bishop AR Stephen of Lucknow Diocese and church of North India . The school, he said, has not flouted any law.