Guwahati: Assam has stepped up efforts to secure a Unesco World Heritage status for the river island of Majuli.In a written assembly reply on Thursday, parliamentary affairs minister Pijush Hazarika, on behalf of cultural affairs minister Bimal Borah, outlined measures to strengthen Majuli’s candidature.Responding to Congress MLA Joy Prakash Das, Hazarika said the Directorate of Cultural Affairs has no record of Unesco granting Majuli preliminary recognition in 2001. Unesco records show its inclusion in India’s Tentative List as a cultural landscape in March 2004. However, this inclusion does not guarantee inscription.Majuli’s nomination was subsequently referred back and deferred by the World Heritage Committee following recommendations from its advisory bodies. They sought comprehensive documentation, stronger justification of its outstanding universal value, a robust protection and management framework, and a detailed river-basin assessment.“To address these observations, Assam govt commissioned additional studies, consultations and corrective measures. Recognising the need to strengthen Majuli’s candidature under Unesco ’s criterion, the govt requested the Geological Survey of India (GSI) to prepare scientific studies documenting the island’s geological, geomorphological and riverine characteristics,” the minister added.The govt also submitted a nomination dossier to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) under the natural property category. It was not considered that year because India nominated the Charaideo Maidams as its sole candidate. The ASI subsequently advised Assam to revise Majuli’s Tentative List document and strengthen its dossier.“The revision process is currently underway in consultation with the ASI and other agencies,” he added.The govt sanctioned funds in 2017 through the Majuli Cultural Landscape Management Authority for consultancy, dossier preparation, site-management planning and mobilisation.Following a cabinet decision, the department has proposed appointing a conservation architect to document Majuli’s Vaishnavite culture and Bihu for Unesco ’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.A ministerial review has been held, and the preliminary assessment and nomination dossiers will be routed to Unesco after completion.
