CM banks on technology for development
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 28 2013: Chief Minister Okram Ibobi has said that the North East region has to put in its best efforts to encourage the use of various technologies for conservation, restoration, preservation and maintenance of monumental heritage.

The Chief Minister was speaking as chief guest at the inaugural function of the three-day national workshop held on the topic, 'Training programme capacity building amongst the heritage managers of North East region' at the auditorium of Manipur Film Development Corporation (MFDC) today.

O Ibobi said that major parts of the North East region are culturally attached with mainland India but geographically close to South East Asian region.

Saying that the environment and climatic condition of the region also varies from other parts of the country, Ibobi said that NE region is however endowed with rich heritage like other States of the country.

He added that cultural heritage belonging to different periods of the long history of the region, in the forms of ancient monumental edifices comprising of palaces, forts, stupas, monasteries, rock-cut caves, sculpture, cave paintings, terracotta objects, coins, epigraphs, metallic and wooden objects etc are the important sources of information for the reconstruction of history of the area.

Chief Minister inaugurating the national workshop

Preservation, protection and maintenance of these cultural heritages retained the historical importance, aesthetic value and socio-religious significance and is of utmost importance in managing the cultural wealth.

Maintaining that Science is widely involved in all aspects of human life, the Chief Minister expressed hope that the training programme would benefit the heritage managers of NE region.

Saying that the dawn of archaeology in Manipur was started in the early 1930s under the leadership of self-taught archaeologist W Yumjao Singh, the Chief Minister said that Yumjao conducted various explorations at sites like Kameng and Sangaithel etc.

However, archaeological developments went through a dark phase for almost 30 years, he said and added that the renaissance of archaeological development in Manipur however took place under the leadership of Dr O Kumar, who laid the foundation of modern archaeology in the 1970s.Subsequently, Manipur State Archaeology was established under the aegis of State Art and Culture Department in 1978, he said and added that the State Archaeology has achieved several milestones in the field of protection, preservation and conservation of archaeological monuments and sites.

Saying that the State Archaeology has established two in-situ site museums, protected museum objects and excavated new sites scientifically, the Chief Minister said that there are 51 protected monuments under the Manipur Ancients and Historical Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act 1976 and Rules 1979.To incorporate and protect more sites and monuments of Manipur, the Act was further amended in 1996 substituting 100 years by 75 years for classifying a monument eligible for protection, he added.

He expressed hope that the training programme would enable the participants to learn modern techniques of conservation, preservation, risk preparedness, response plan and strategies to reduce decay and security measures and other related issues of the monumental heritage.

Art and Culture Commissioner Dr RK Nimai Singh, Indian Archaeological Society Vice-Chairman Dr SS Biswas, Kangla Fort Board Member O Kumar and Art and Culture Director Dr K Sobita also attended the function as dignitaries.