The state government's efforts to get the TempleCity (Bhubaneswar) nominated to Unesco's World Heritage List received a much-needed fillip with the specialized agency of the United Nations agreeing to consider the proposal. It has also agreed to verify the state's suggestion to enlist Chilika Lake.
The development assumed significance as Unesco top officers had visited Odisha in June 2010 and assured chief minister Naveen Patnaik that they would consider the state's recommendation to include Bhubaneswar in the World Heritage List. The Sun Temple of Konark is the lone monument from the state to have got the coveted tag in 1984.
On Wednesday, the tourism department sent dossiers on Bhubaneswar and Chilika Lake to the Union culture ministry's advisory committee on world heritage matters, which is involved in preparation of the tentative list of heritage sites from India. "We had sent eight heritage sites for nomination. The UN agency has shortlisted Bhubaneswar and Chilika for its tentative list. For a site to get the world heritage tag, it has to first make it to the tentative list," tourism secretary Arvind Padhee told TOI. "We are hopeful both places will be considered to be cultural and natural heritage of outstanding universal value," Padhee said.
If Bhubaneswar qualifies, it would become the first Indian city to be included in the list. Though the list includes several monuments of different states, no city of the country figures in it, official sources said.
"Bhubaneswar deserves the Unesco tag as it is home to many temples, monuments and tanks. The coveted recognition would boost our tourism potential worldwide," said Debasis Mahapatra, a tour operator. "But maintenance of the temples and monuments is the need of the hour. Though Sun Temple was identified as Unesco's world heritage site, the destination lacks basic amenities," he added.
The development assumed significance as Unesco top officers had visited Odisha in June 2010 and assured chief minister Naveen Patnaik that they would consider the state's recommendation to include Bhubaneswar in the World Heritage List. The Sun Temple of Konark is the lone monument from the state to have got the coveted tag in 1984.
On Wednesday, the tourism department sent dossiers on Bhubaneswar and Chilika Lake to the Union culture ministry's advisory committee on world heritage matters, which is involved in preparation of the tentative list of heritage sites from India. "We had sent eight heritage sites for nomination. The UN agency has shortlisted Bhubaneswar and Chilika for its tentative list. For a site to get the world heritage tag, it has to first make it to the tentative list," tourism secretary Arvind Padhee told TOI. "We are hopeful both places will be considered to be cultural and natural heritage of outstanding universal value," Padhee said.
If Bhubaneswar qualifies, it would become the first Indian city to be included in the list. Though the list includes several monuments of different states, no city of the country figures in it, official sources said.
"Bhubaneswar deserves the Unesco tag as it is home to many temples, monuments and tanks. The coveted recognition would boost our tourism potential worldwide," said Debasis Mahapatra, a tour operator. "But maintenance of the temples and monuments is the need of the hour. Though Sun Temple was identified as Unesco's world heritage site, the destination lacks basic amenities," he added.
