New Delhi, Feb 3 (PTI) The Union Territory of Chandigarh has not been designated as a world heritage city, however, its Capitol Complex was inscribed as a transnational UNESCO World Heritage property in 2016, the government informed Parliament on Monday.
Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said this in a written response to a query from Manish Tewari, a Congress MP from Chandigarh.
Chandigarh is the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana states.
"The Union Territory of Chandigarh City has not been designated as a World Heritage City. However, the Chandigarh Capitol Complex has been inscribed as a Transnational World Heritage Property in 2016 under the title 'The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement'. This transnational World Heritage property includes seven countries comprising Argentina, France, Switzerland, Belgium, Germany, Japan and India," Shekhawat said.
Tewari also asked details of specific or established criteria for designating a city as a heritage city by the government of India, UNESCO or any other international organisation.
"In the UNESCO Operational Guidelines, 2024, any World Heritage property, including a World Heritage City, must fulfill one or more criteria outlined," the Union minister said and listed the criteria in his written response.
In his response, he also shared the details of designated World Heritage Cities across all countries, including two World Heritage Cities of India, as uploaded on the website of the World Heritage Centre, UNESCO.
In a separate query, DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi asked the details of the archaeological excavations done by the Union government across the country during the last ten years along with the date on which the reports of such excavations were published.
"Excavations were conducted at 82 sites by different field offices of the ASI (Archaeological Survey of India). Some of these excavations are taken up on a large scale and span many years. Periodical reports are submitted soon after the completion of a season's work. Final report on excavations at Saluvankuppam, Suabarei, Burzohom, Paithan, Kalibangan, Lalitgiri, Dhalewan, Adam and Hulas, where detailed study and scientific analysis of excavated materials were completed, have been published during last ten years," Shekhawat said.
In response to another query, the Union minister said the ASI is "committed to the protection of cultural property".
"The government has retrieved 655 antiquities from foreign countries from the year 1976 to 2024, of which 642 antiquities have been retrieved since 2014," he added. PTI KND AS AS