Unlike Delhi, which has been unlucky to get the Centre’s push for getting the UNESCO Heritage City status, Assam has been assured of all help from the Modi Government in ensuring that its famous Majuli island located in the Brahamaputra River is conferred with the prestigious tag. “Tourism and Culture Ministries are committed to develop Majuli Island as a tourist destination, especially with the help of Cruise tourism and to ensure it the status of the World Heritage Site which will put it on the global tourist map,” said Mahesh Sharma, who heads the two Ministries.
In a meeting held with Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Uma Bharti and Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Youth Affairs and Sports, Sarbananda Sonowal, Sharma said that his Ministry of Culture is already working closely with Assam Government to assist them in finalising the proposal.
“The State Government will be assisted to overcome all roadblocks,” he assured Bharti and Sonowal who is the MP from Assam. Bharti explained the need to conserve the culturally and historically rich island as it is dramatically shrinking in size due to erosion. “ASI must carry out a survey of the ancient artefacts at the island to facilitate the proposal for World Heritage site,” she said.
Sonowal explained that the Majuli island is the largest river island in the world and has a population of about two lakh, both tribal as well as non-tribal. He requested Sharma to provide tourism infrastructure at Majuli islands like a guest house, an auditorium and a museum. Intriguingly, while Assam’s Majuli island is getting all attention, the Centre recently withdrew Delhi’s nomination for the Unesco World Heritage City tag without assigning any specific reason. The step came just a month before Unesco’s review of nominations from across the world. According to sources, “Delhi was the only nomination submitted last year for the world heritage tag.”
The areas listed in the government’s dossier for Delhi Heritage city include the Mughal-era Shahjahanabad in old Delhi and the lutyens’ Bungalow Zone, a part of the new imperial capital designed by Edwin lutyens and Herbert Baker. The tag to the city would have ensured boost to the tourism.