Lok Sabha Question No. 1227 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-07-25
Subject: Heritage Status to Indian Cities
Ministry: CULTURE
Asked by: BHANU PRATAP SINGH VERMA

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1227 TO BE ANSWERED ON 25.7.2016 SHRAVANA 3, 1938 (SAKA)

## HERITAGE STATUS TO INDIAN CITIES

## †1227: SHRI BHANU PRATAP SINGH VERMA:

Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether some cities of India are designated as Heritage cities by the UNESCO;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) if not, the reasons therefor;
- (d) the number of cities in Uttar Pradesh designated as Heritage city; and
- (e) the details of the criteria for selection of Heritage cities by the UNESCO?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE, CULTURE AND TOURISM (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) (DR. MAHESH SHARMA)

- (a) No, Madam. At present no city from India is designated as Heritage City by the
- & UNESCO. As of now, only five Indian historic cities feature on India's Tentative
- (c) List to UNESCO  (List attached at Annexure-I) which is a mandatory requirement before a State Party submits the  main  nomination dossier. Presently, the proposal for 'Historic City of Ahmedabad' has been submitted to the UNESCO for their consideration.
- (d) Nil.
- (e) The criteria for selection of Heritage sites including cities by the UNESCO is at Annexure-II.

## Annexure I

## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (b) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1227 FOR 25.07.2016

## Cultural and Natural Properties on the Tentative List (46)

1. Ancient Buddhist Site, Sarnath, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh (03/07/1998)
2. Apatani Cultural Landscape (15/04/2014)
3. Archaeological remains of a Harappa Port-Town, Lothal (15/04/2014)
4. Bahá'í House of Worship at New Delhi (15/04/2014)
5. Bhitarkanika Conservation Area (26/05/2009)
6. Cellular Jail, Andaman Islands (15/04/2014)
7. Chettinad, Village Clusters of the Tamil Merchants (15/04/2014)
8. Chilika Lake (15/04/2014)
9. Cold Desert Cultural Landscape of India (15/04/2015)
10. Delhi - A Heritage City (22/05/2012)
11. Desert National Park (26/05/2009)
12. Dholavira: A Harappan City (15/04/2014)
13. Ekamra Kshetra - The Temple City, Bhubaneswar (15/04/2014)
14. Evolution of Temple Architecture - Aihole-Badami- Pattadakal (09/02/2015)
15. Excavated Remains at Nalanda (09/01/2009)
16. Group of Monuments at Mandu, Madhya Pradesh (03/07/1998)
17. Historic city of Ahmadabad (31/03/2011)
18. Iconic Saree Weaving Clusters of India (15/04/2014)
19. Jaipur city, Rajasthan India (15/04/2015)
20. Kangchendzonga National Park (15/03/2006)
21. Mattanchery Palace, Ernakulam, Kerala (03/07/1998)
22. Moidams - the Mound-Burial system of the Ahom Dynasty (15/04/2014)
23. Monuments and Forts of the Deccan Sultanate (15/04/2014)
24. Monuments of Srirangapatna Island Town (15/04/2014)
25. Mountain Railways of India (Extension) (15/04/2014)
26. Mughal Gardens in Kashmir (13/12/2010)
27. Namdapha National Park (15/03/2006)
28. Narcondam Island (15/04/2014)
29. Neora Valley National Park (26/05/2009)
30. Padmanabhapuram Palace (15/04/2014)
31. River Island of Majuli in midstream of Brahmaputra River in Assam (02/03/2004)
32. Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysala (15/04/2014)
33. Santiniketan (20/01/2010)
34. Silk Road Sites in India (20/01/2010)
35. Sites along the Uttarapath, Badshahi Sadak, Sadak-e-Azam, Grand Trunk Road (15/04/2015)
36. Sites of Saytagrah, India's non-violent freedom movement (15/04/2014)
37. Sri Harimandir Sahib, Amritsar, Punjab (05/01/2004)
38. Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam (15/04/2014)
39. Temples at Bishnupur, West Bengal (03/07/1998)
40. The Glorious Kakatiya Temples and Gateways (15/04/2014)
41. The Neolithic Settlement of Burzahom (15/04/2014)
42. The Qutb Shahi Monuments of Hyderabad Golconda Fort, Qutb Shahi Tombs, Charminar (10/09/2010)
43. The Victorian & Art Deco Ensemble of Mumbai (22/05/2012)
44. Thembang Fortified Village (15/04/2014)
45. Urban and Architectural Work of Le Corbusier in Chandigarh (23/10/2006)
46. Wild Ass Sanctuary, Little Rann of Kutch (15/03/2006)

## Annexure-II

## ANNEXURE REFFERED TO IN REPLY TO PART (e) OF THE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1227 FOR 25.7.2016

## Criteria for consideration :

- i. to represent a masterpiece of human creative genius;
- ii. to exhibit an important interchange of human values, over a span of time or within a cultural area  of  the  world,  on  developments  in  architecture  or  technology,  monumental  arts,  townplanning or landscape design;
- iii. to  bear  a  unique  or  at  least  exceptional  testimony  to  a  cultural  tradition  or  to  a  civilization which is living or which has disappeared;
- iv. to be an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates (a) significant stage(s) in human history;
- v. to be an outstanding example of a traditional human settlement, land-use, or sea-use which is  representative  of  a  culture  (or  cultures),  or  human  interaction  with  the  environment especially when it has become vulnerable under the impact of irreversible change;
- vi. to be directly or tangibly associated with events or living traditions, with ideas, or with beliefs, with  artistic  and  literary  works  of  outstanding  universal  significance.  (The  Committee considers that this criterion should preferably be used in conjunction with other criteria);
- vii. to  contain  superlative  natural  phenomena  or  areas  of  exceptional  natural  beauty  and aesthetic importance;
- viii. to be outstanding examples representing major stages of earth's history, including the record of  life,  significant  on-going  geological  processes  in  the  development  of  landforms,  or significant geomorphic or physiographic features;
- ix. to  be  outstanding  examples  representing  significant  on-going  ecological  and  biological processes in the evolution and development of terrestrial, fresh  water, coastal and marine ecosystems and communities of plants and animals;
- x. to  contain  the  most  important  and  significant  natural  habitats  for  in-situ  conservation  of biological  diversity,  including  those  containing  threatened  species  of  outstanding  universal value from the point of view of science or conservation.