Lok Sabha Question No. 3620 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-21
Subject: World Heritage Status to Cities
Ministry: CULTURE
Asked by: DHARMENDRA YADAV, SHIVAJI ADHALRAO PATIL, ANANDRAO  ADSUL, Shrirang Appa Barne

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3620 TO BE ANSWERED ON 21.12.2015 AGRAHAYANA 30, 1937 (SAKA)

## WORLD HERITAGE STATUS TO CITIES

+3620

SHRI DHARMENDRA YADAV: SHRI ADHALRAO PATIL SHIVAJIRAO: SHRI ANANDRAO ADSUL: SHRI SHRIRANG APPA BARNE

Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government proposes to take steps for inclusion of various Indian cities/heritage sites in the UNESCO's World Heritage list;
- (b) if SO, the details thereof and the present  status of the cities/heritage sites along with the policylcriteria adopted by the UNESCO to include ancient sites/tourist places in World Heritage List;, State-wise;
- (c) whether the Government has submitted proposals of various Cities in the country to UNESCO for bestowing them the World Heritage status; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof along with the status of the proposal?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE, CULTURE AND TOURISM (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) AND MINISTER OF STATE, CIVIL AVIATION (DR; MAHESH SHARMA)

- (a) & (b): Madam the Government has taken steps for inclusion of various Indian cities/heritage sites in UNESCO's World Heritage list: At present India 32 cultural and natural sites on the World Moreover, there are 46 sites including Indian Cities, monuments, archaeological sites, etc. on UNESCO's tentative list, which is a mandatory requirement before a site is finally considered for the nomination The list is given at (Annexure-II). As per the Operational Guidelines the criteria adopted by UNESCO to include ancient sites/tourist places in World Heritage List, are given at (Annexure-III): Yes, has
- (c) & (d): Madam the two nomination proposals on cities i.e Delhi's Imperial Capital Cities' and 'the Victorian and Art Deco Ensemble of Mumbai' were submitted to World Heritage Centre in January, 2014 in which Delhi was prioritized\_ Before the Session of World Heritage Committee in July 2015 the proposing State Party had requested UNESCO Secretariat for postponement of the consideration of the nomination of 'Delhi's Imperial Capital Cities' . Yes, 39th

## CULTURAL SITES

## Under Protection of Archaeological Survey of India

| SN   | 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    |                                                                                                                                                                                                           | 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    |
|      | 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.  | QutbMinar 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                                                                                                                                                                                               | 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   |
|-------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------|

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| 23   | ChhatrapatiShivaji Terminus) (2004)   | Terminus   | (formerly   | Victoria   | Maharashtra   |
|------|---------------------------------------|------------|-------------|------------|---------------|

## Under Protection of Bodhgaya Temple\_Management Committee

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

## Under Protection of Rajasthan State Archaeology and Museums Department

| 25.   | JantarMantar, Jaipur (2010)   |
|-------|-------------------------------|

## NATURAL SITES

## Under Protection of Ministry of Environment & Forest

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| 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                                | Himachal Pradesh                           |

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## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3620 FOR 21.12.2015

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

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

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## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (b) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3620 FOR 21.12.2015

As per the Operational Guidelines the criteria adopted by the UNESCO.

- represent a masterpiece Of'human creative genius;
- (iii) bear or at least exceptional   testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization which is or which has disappeared; unique living
- (ii) 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;
- (iv) be an outstanding   example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates (&) significant stage (s) in human history;
- (vi) be directly or tangibly associated with events Or traditions, with ideas, Or with beliefs, with artistic and literary works of outstanding universal significance. (The Committee considers that this criterion should preferable be used in conjunction with other criteria); living
- (v be an outstanding example of a traditional human settiement; land-use, sea-use which is representative of a culture (or  cultures), human   interaction with the environment especially when it has become vulnerable under the impact of irreversible change;
- (vii) contain   superlative natural  phenomena or areas 0f exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance
- (ix) be outstanding examples representing significant on going geological and biological processes in the evolution and development of terrestrial, fresh water; coastal and marine ecosystem and communities of plants and animals;
- (viii) be outstanding examples representing major stages of earth'$ history. Including the record of  life, significant  on-going  geological processes in the   development of landforms, Or significant geomorphic O physiographic feature;
- 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 of view of science or conservation. point

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