April 21: While heritage lovers are keenly awaiting the formation of a committee by the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) which will advise the state government on the modalities of preserving heritage buildings, some feel that a half-hearted approach will be pointless.

“Though the CMDA already has some sort of a heritage committee, with all the vintage structures being pulled down in the name of development, I wonder whether the committee is alive. Even if CMDA introduces a new committee, as long as people in Chennai lack a heritage sense, all efforts to save and preserve our heritage will go in vain,” said Mr Pandurangam, a central government retiree living in Nungambakkam. “See for example what happened to the majestic statue of King Edward the VII. Because of the construction of the new secretariat building, the statue is tucked away in a corner of the Connemara Museum premises,” Mr Pandurangam added.

Civic activist Mr S. Subramaniam said that while there have been instances of individuals and organisations taking up the task of preserving heritage structures, the number of vintage buildings being pulled down was alarming. “Recently the Free Masons society renovated an 85-year-old building in their compound, maintaining the vintage look. But such acts are very rare,” Mr Subramaniam said.