Five Nuh monuments to get state protection
GURUGRAM: The state government has decided to grant protection to five monuments in Nuh district of Mewat. The five monuments spread – Ghasera fort, old tehsil building, Kotla mosque, Chhatris and a well in Meoli village – will now be conserved as per provisions of the Punjab Ancient Historal Monuments and the Archaelogical Sites and Remains Act, 1964.
With chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar approving a proposal in this regard, restoration work by the state’s archaeology and museums department is likely to begin soon.
Praveen Kumar, director of the state’s archaeology and museums department, said, “We initiated the process of seeking state approval a few months back. The next step will be conservation and repair of these places in Nuh. We want to make them tourist-worthy. The monuments that are more impressive in their looks and purpose are shortlisted. Various factors such as look of the monument, the status, the extent of encroachment and the surrounding areas are factored in while selecting the monuments for preservation.”
Shikha Jain, Haryana convener of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), said, “The Ghasera fort is in a poor state. The old tehsil building is also a good piece of colonial architecture. While it’s good that these monuments may finally get some restoration, there are many other crucial monuments in Mewat (Nuh) that need to be given immediate importance.”
Jain said the state archaeology department had earlier asked them to share the list of monuments they had mapped in the state. “We had shared a comprehensive list with them,” she maintained.
Residents of Nuh maintained they are happy that the state is giving due importance to the district’s heritage and history.
“It is great that the state is giving protection to the monuments. Mahatma Gandhi had visited Meoli village to convince the community not to move to Pakistan. The well in Meoli is significant,” said Deen Mohammad Mamlika, a resident of Nuh.