12 Kolkata: Preserve the remaining nine bighas of the historical Hirajheel Palace of Nawab Siraj-ud-Daulah, the HC observed while stressing the need to preserve the historical monuments in the state.
Nawab Siraj-ud-Daulah Smriti Surakkha Trust had filed a PIL seeking directions from the division bench of Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam and Justice Chaitali Chatterjee (Das) on preservation of nine to ten bighas, which according to them is left and visible under the water. The palace was established on 66.7 bighas; the rest has submerged in the Bhagirathi. The petitioners were directed to inform the senior standing counsel for Archaeological Survey of India.
The CJ reprimanded the state heritage commission and said, "Heritage commission is virtually defunct in the state. All heritage buildings are decaying. The commission is only an advisory body…What is your recommendation for Writers' Buildings, Calcutta High Court? You may make recommendations, they won't listen to you. They want the structure to crumble, knock it off and put up a tower." Counsel for the petitioner, senior advocate Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya, suggested that both the state heritage commission and ASI can be asked to get a survey done. CJ referred to the restoration work at Mahabalipuram's shore temples using tripod boulders to stop erosion. " So, if nine bighas are yet to be submerged, to that extent it can be preserved. You can recreate it by conducting a sound-light show like they do in Victoria Memorial so we know the history," CJ said.