Dehradun: No proposal to make Kedarnath temple a national heritage, the state government clarified
Dehradun : The state government made it clear that there is neither any plan nor any proposal to make Kedarnath temple a national heritage. The Archaeological Survey Department has also categorically denied any such proposal. On Thursday, Chardham Teerth Purohit Hakhakukdhari Mahapanchayat had warned of agitation against the proposal to make Kedarnath temple a national heritage.
After the matter came to the notice, Secretary Culture Harichandra Semwal called a meeting of departmental officers and officials of Archaeological Survey of India Dehradun Division on Friday. The Secretary sought a reply from the Archaeological Survey of India’s superintending archaeologist Manoj Saxena regarding the proposal whether a proposal was made or any order issued in this regard from the government level? The motion or order on this was refused.
Semwal said that neither any proposal has been sent from the government to the central government to declare Kedarnath Dham as a national heritage nor is there any such plan in future. The government instructed the officials of Dehradun Division that it is not appropriate to give factual and misleading information. Director Culture Bina Bhatt, Assistant Superintendent of Archaeological Survey of India Raj Kishore Meena were also present in the meeting.
Director Culture Bina Bhatt said that only those monuments and sites are declared protected under the department, which have archaeological importance. At present 70 such monuments and sites are declared protected. While 43 monuments and sites have been declared protected by the Archaeological Survey of India.
Archaeological Survey of India called the information baseless-The Archaeological Survey of India has issued a letter saying that the information about the proposal to make Kedarnath Dham a national heritage is baseless. It has been said that no proposal has been received from the government in this regard nor is it under consideration.
