Bengaluru, Oct 28 A UNESCO expert mission to Hampi has called for greater local participation in conservation, a stronger management authority and mandatory heritage impact assessments for development projects.
The delegation recommended strengthening the Hampi World Heritage Area Management Authority (HWHAMA) and stressed the need for continuity in heritage administration, along with adequate manpower and financial resources, to ensure sustainable management of the Hampi World Heritage Site.
The recommendations were shared at a review and concluding meeting held at Vidhana Soudha here on Wednesday, where the UNESCO experts presented their preliminary observations to senior State Government and Tourism Department officials. A detailed report on the mission is expected by mid-December, a press release said.
UNESCO expert Prof George Abungu of Kenya said Hampi was an exceptionally significant World Heritage Site and that its conservation must involve the people who live in and around it.
“We have come as friends and partners, not as investigators, to work with the State and national authorities in identifying strengths, challenges and the way forward,” he said.
Stressing community ownership, Abungu said residents must not only participate in heritage conservation but also benefit from tourism and development initiatives.
“If you do it for me, without me, it’s against me,” he said, adding that sustainable heritage management would not be possible without the active involvement of local communities.
UNESCO expert Prof Ichida Shimoda of Japan said Hampi should be viewed as a living cultural landscape in which heritage conservation, tourism and community life had to be carefully balanced.
He recommended that HWHAMA be given specialised manpower and adequate financial resources so that it could discharge its responsibilities effectively.
Development Commissioner and Additional Chief Secretary Uma Mahadevan said Hampi’s Outstanding Universal Value must be protected while ensuring that conservation efforts remained inclusive.
“Hampi’s outstanding universal value must be protected without compromise. At the same time, conservation must include the local community. Strong institutions, expert-led planning and administrative continuity are essential for sustainable heritage management,” she said.
Tourism Secretary Dr Ram Prasath Manohar said tourism development at Hampi would have to align with heritage protection and the interests of local communities.
“Under the guidance of Energy and Tourism Minister K J George, our approach is clear — tourism development at Hampi cannot come at the cost of heritage or local livelihoods. Heritage Impact Assessment will be an integral part of future tourism and development planning,” he said.
The delegation expressed satisfaction over the overall conservation of the monuments and acknowledged the cooperation extended by the State Government, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and other agencies during the mission.
(PTI News)
