AHMEDABAD: The Heritage Conservation Committee (HCC) during it's routine meeting on Friday took up the crucial issue of unprotected heritage properties in the city. Sources claim that the nine member committee unanimously agreed that an ASI de-listed or listed "protected building" cannot become the sole criteria of giving the "heritage" status to any building in the city.

The HCC believed, "An ASI or state archaeology list of old monuments is just recognition of the heritage status given to old structures. However, listing or de-listing of a property cannot become the sole criterion to give or take away heritage status of a building. Collective memory of the community, myths, legends and narratives associated with the buildings are also an important intangible aspect of heritage of the city. A historic building is also symbolic of the rich cultural imprints, fine tastes and lifestyle on the society. Through these buildings one can always map the cultural progression of the city and its people, be it shah Jahan's palace or Le Corbusier's buildings" says a senior member of the HCC.

"Under the prevalent regulations, the HCC can take up suo moto such items or structures which it considers important to foster the cause of conservation of historic buildings," adds the member. When asked whether the Shah Jahan's palace would find a place in HCC's new heritage building inventory list, the member said, "We are studying the case of Shah Jahan's palace at the moment. We cannot ignore that the palace was built by Shah Jahan 390 years ago and has Mughal architecture."

The HCC is the high powered committee formed by the state government for Ahmedabad to identify and prepare a new inventory list of heritage buildings within Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) and Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority (AUDA) jurisdiction limits. The committee has come into existence after the state government amended the General Development Control Regulations (GDCR) in September 2007 to include "heritage regulations" as part of the new GDCR laws.

Two weeks ago a team of the HCC visited the Moti Shahi Palace in Shahibaug and was left aghast by the new cement and concrete additions made to the buildings. The committee members had requested the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel memorial Society (SVPMS) to immediately check the structural stability of the new additions. "The construction was stalled after the AMC issued notices under BPMC Act and the Gujarat town planning act. But even the society ignored the fact that the new additions were ruining the authenticity of the monument," said the senior member.