Lok Sabha Question No. 2532 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-03-14
Subject: Policy to Adopt World Heritage Sites
Ministry: CULTURE
Asked by: JAYSHREEBEN  PATEL

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2532 TO BE ANSWERED ON 14.3.2016 PHALGUNA 24, 1937 (SAKA)

## POLICY TO ADOPT WORLD HERITAGE SITES

## †2532. SHRIMATI JAYSHREEBEN PATEL:

Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state:

- (a) the policy adopted by the UN for the selection of world heritage sites;
- (b) the number of sites from India selected along with the details  thereof, State/UT-wise; and
- (c) the objections for the selection as world heritage sites along with the details of measures taken by the Government after securing approval in this regard?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE, CULTURE AND TOURISM (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) AND MINISTER OF STATE, CIVIL AVIATION

## (DR. MAHESH SHARMA)

- (a) UNESCO,  with  the  help  of  21  member  World  Heritage  Committee  and advisory  bodies  such  as  International  Council  on  Monuments  and  Sites (ICOMOS) and International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), within the framework of its Operational Guidelines, decides about the cultural and natural  sites  to  be  included  on  the  World  Heritage  list.  Such  cultural  and natural sites must display the necessary Outstanding Universal Value (OUV), fulfill one or more out of 10 prescribed criteria (in Annexure A), maintain the condition  of  authenticity  and  integrity  and  should  be  in  a  good  state  of conservation.
- (b) There are 32 sites from India declared as World Heritage properties. Details of these are provided in Annexure B.
- (c) At times, concerns are raised by the World Heritage Centre during inscription process  those  relate to the  state  of  conservation  or  its  management (including that of its buffer). State party addresses such concerns by giving necessary  commitment  to  effectively  manage  the  site  and  its  buffer,  thus safeguarding its Outstanding Universal Value (OUV).

## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2532 FOR 14.3.2016.

## Criteria  for  the  assessment  of  Outstanding  Universal  Value  (OUV)  as  per UNESCO's Operational Guidelines

- (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, town-planning 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, landuse,  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.

## ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (b)  OF  LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2532 FOR 14.3.2016.

## CULTURAL SITES

## Under Protection of Archaeological Survey of India

|   S.N o | Name of Site                                                                                                                                                                                            | State          |
|---------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------|
|       1 | Ajanta Caves (1983)                                                                                                                                                                                     | Maharashtra    |
|       2 | Ellora Caves (1983)                                                                                                                                                                                     | Maharashtra    |
|       3 | Agra Fort (1983)                                                                                                                                                                                        | Uttar Pradesh  |
|       4 | Taj Mahal (1983)                                                                                                                                                                                        | Uttar Pradesh  |
|       5 | Sun Temple, Konarak (1984)                                                                                                                                                                              | Odisha         |
|       6 | Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram (1984)                                                                                                                                                              | Tamil Nadu     |
|       7 | Churches and Convents of Goa (1986)                                                                                                                                                                     | Goa            |
|       8 | Group of Temples, Khajuraho (1986)                                                                                                                                                                      | Madhya Pradesh |
|       9 | Group of Monuments at Hampi (1986)                                                                                                                                                                      | Karnataka      |
|      10 | Group of Monuments, FatehpurSikri (1986)                                                                                                                                                                | Uttar Pradesh  |
|      11 | Group of Temples, Pattadakal (1987)                                                                                                                                                                     | Karnataka      |
|      12 | Elephanta Caves ( 1987)                                                                                                                                                                                 | Maharashtra    |
|      13 | Great Living Chola temples at Thanjavur, Gangaikondacholapuram and Darasuram (1987 & 2004)                                                                                                              | Tamil Nadu     |
|      14 | Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi (1989)                                                                                                                                                                     | Madhya Pradesh |
|      15 | Humayun's Tomb, Delhi (1993)                                                                                                                                                                            | Delhi          |
|      16 | Qutb Minar Complex, Delhi (1993)                                                                                                                                                                        | Delhi          |
|      17 | Prehistoric Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka (2003)                                                                                                                                                           | Madhya Pradesh |
|      18 | Champaner-Pavagarh Archaeological Park (2004)                                                                                                                                                           | Gujarat        |
|      19 | Red Fort Complex, Delhi (2007)                                                                                                                                                                          | Delhi          |
|      20 | Hill Forts of Rajasthan (Chittaurgarh, Kumbhalgarh, Jaisalmer and Ranthambhore, Amber and Gagron Forts) (2013) (Amber and Gagron Forts are under protection of Rajasthan State Archaeology and Museums) | Rajasthan      |
|      21 | Rani ki Vav (2014)                                                                                                                                                                                      | Gujarat        |

## Under Protection of Ministry of Railways

|   22. | Mountain Railway of India ( Darjeeling,1999), Nilgiri (2005), Kalka-Shimla(2008)   | West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh   |
|-------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------|
|    23 | Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus) (2004)                   | Maharashtra                                 |

## Under Protection of Bodhgaya Temple Management Committee

| 24. Mahabodhi Temple, Bodhgaya (2002)   | Bihar   |
|-----------------------------------------|---------|

## Under Protection of Rajasthan State Archaeology and Museums Department

| 25.   | Jantar Mantar, Jaipur (2010)   | Rajasthan   |
|-------|--------------------------------|-------------|

## NATURAL SITES

## Under Protection of Ministry of Environment & Forest

|   26. | Kaziranga National Park (1985)                               | Assam                                     |
|-------|--------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
|    27 | Manas Wild Life Sanctuary (1985)                             | Assam                                     |
|    28 | Keoladeo National Park (1985)                                | Rajasthan                                 |
|    29 | Sunderban National Park (1987)                               | West Bengal                               |
|    30 | Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks (1988, 2005) | Uttarakhand                               |
|    31 | Western Ghats (2012)                                         | Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra,Tamil Nadu |
|    32 | Great Himalayan National Park (2014)                         | Himachal Pradesh                          |