STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: In a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Shah Mohammad Choudhary highlighting the importance of preserving art, museum and archives in the State of Jammu and Kashmir, in particular, Mubarak Mandi Heritage Complex which had been declared unsafe long ago but Department of Archives, Archaeology and Museum has not taken proper steps to restore the heritage building, a Division Bench of State High Court comprising Chief Justice N Paul Vasanthakumar and Justice Tashi Rabstan taking into consideration report submitted by the Committee headed by B. S. Salathia, Senior Advocate and the Deputy Director, Department of Archives, Archeology and Museums, Jammu constituted by this Court through order dated 18th July 2016 for measures to restore this building, directed the respondents for immediate shifting of the records of the Department of Archieves and Archaeology to the First Floor of Kala Kender Building at Bikram Chowk Jammu within a period of four weeks from today for their safe keeping till permanent arrangement is made and taking necessary expert advice from the Archives Department while shifting the records so that same are properly preserved.
The DB further observed that in this regard, the Committee has also brought on record of this Court a communication dated 6th July 2016 which discloses that in the 7th Government Body Meeting held on 29th August 2016 at Mubarak Mandi Heritage Complex, Jammu, the proposal of Shifting of Archival Records to “Old Information Department Building” amounting to Rs. 50 lakh was put forth before the Governing Body by the Minister for Finance and Culture J&K State and the same was approved. It also discloses that said proposal was also approved by the Financial Commissioner, Planning Development and Monitoring Department, Civil Secretariat, Srinagar in the video conferencing held on 31st August 2016 and he agreed to release Rs. 50 lakh for the aforesaid purpose. When confronted with this position, Seema Shekhar, Sr. AAG representing State respondent too agreed to this suggestion.
