VARANASI: Over a decade ago, the Varanasi Development Authority (VDA) had prepared a detailed report highlighting rich culture of the city to propose its inclusion in the UNESCO List of World Heritage. At that time, the report draft mentioned: 'Everybody wonders why Varanasi hasn't been included in the UNESCO List of world heritage'. Since then nothing has changed.
In March 2008, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, during his visit to the city, highlighted the ancient heritage value of the city and said that state government would be requested to prepare a Heritage Development Plan for Varanasi which would be funded from the JNNURM and other sources.
The only significant development so far is the preparation of Heritage Development Plan for Varanasi by the architectural and heritage division of Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) and formation of a Heritage Cell by the Varanasi Municipal Corporation. Though the plans are on paper only. Read more........
