Sunday, October 14, 2007

Fazilka's Innovative way to protect their Heritage Monuments through Community Participation

Fazilka is setting up new trends in Indian History. First time people of Fazilka came forward to protect their heritage monuments linked with historic Importance of Fazilka. Fazilka is a historical town, established by Britisher Mr. Van Pat Agnew in the year 1844. Since its inception many historical monuments are being built here, important one is Fazilka’s City Centre, Ram Narayan Pediwal Clock Tower.
Mission started by Graduates Welfare Association Fazilka (GWAF)on 30th June 2007 along with Press Club Fazilka, Pediwal Trust and Pediwal Family (Family who established clock tower), Manav Kalyan Sabha, Bharat Vikas Parishad, Municipal Council Fazilka. Arya Samaj and many other volunteer people and organisation are taking its shape. Bajran Gupta, ex-president Municipal Council fazilka contributed special role to execute the same.
Opinion from Berger India, Nerolack Paints Asian Paints and Snowcem Paints were called. Snowcem paints were shortlisted for the final execution of the Work. They will not just paint the structure but will protect the monument. Mr. J. S. Saini and Mr V.Lakhanpal from Snowcem India Paints taken up this project around month back and they have developed four different models to paint and protect this historical clock Tower Fazilka. Apart from business angle Snowcem India people personally providing their full technical support as a part of their business social responsibly.
Ram Narayan Pediwal Clock Tower Fazilka Inaugurated on 6th June 1939. Since then, this is adding beauty to the city skyline. Two of this type clock towers are built in the world, another one is in the Lyallpur Pakistan. Due to poor maintenance by Municipal Council Fazilka and political negligence after militancy era in punjab. This structure was losing its charm. With this initiative, this small town is setting trends for the rest of the world.
Through online and offline methods, polling will be conducted to take peoples opinion for the most suited colour scheme on this structure. These online polls will be available on the Fazilka website www.lovefazilka.esmartweb.com
Talking to media persons, Mr. Sushil Pediwal, Member Pediwal Trust Fazilka said “our culture and heritage is our pride and these historical monuments link us with the past legacy set by our elders, we must protect the same for our future generations”.
Dr Bhupinder Singh and Mr. Umesh Kukkar, founder members of GWAF are appealing to the entire citizen to participate in this campaign. After clock tower, historical Asafwala War Memorial built in the memory of Indian martyrs of 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pak war shall be taken up.
Some trees were planted in the periphery area of the clock tower, Navdeep Asija, Geotechnical Engineer submitted the report to Municipal Council Fazilka for replanting these tress to somewhere else. Roots of these trees are disturbing the stability of this structure by developing crack in raft foundation of the structure. Ornamental trees shall be planted in the periphery area, which will add beauty to this structure. This entire execution shall be done under the supervision of Navdeep Asija. This will be ready before diwali.

4 comments:

Navdeep Asija said...

http://www.punjabnewsline.com/content/view/6070/93/

Navdeep Asija said...

http://www.ddinews.gov.in/National/National+-+Other+Stories/Innovative+way+to+protect+monuments.htm

Navdeep Asija said...

http://www.5abnews.com/demo/newartdetails.php?id=216&type=newart

Navdeep Asija said...

Hindustan Times, Page 4 Chandigarh Edition, 15th October, 2007


"RESIDENTS OF Fazilka town have evolved an innovative way to protect heritage monuments through community participation."

A number of local organisations have come together and decided to have the decaying historical monuments in town spruced up by well-known paint manufacturing companies and involve locals in the process.

For the first time online polling will be conducted to take peoples' opinion for the most suited colour scheme on important monuments selected for renovation, Sushil Pediwal, member of the Pediwal Trust of Fazilka, which is involved in the exercise, said.

Ram Narayan Pediwal Clock Tower built in the 1930s is among the first few historical monu ments chosen for a facelift and the project has been given to Snowcem India Paints, which will not only paint it but also protect it.

After the clock tower, renovation of the historic Asafwala War Memorial built in the memory of martyrs of the 1965 and 1971 India-Pakistan war shall be taken up.