The State Archaeology department has utilised only 26.32% of the Plan funds sanctioned in the 2022-23 financial year, the 12th report of the Assembly Estimates Committee on the Culture department’s utilisation of budget allocation has found.
In the case of the Archives department, only 37% of the Plan funds were utilised, the committee, chaired by K.K. Shailaja, MLA, found.
The committee recommended that funds sanctioned in the budget should be utilised fully by both the departments for the purpose for which the allocation was made and in a time-bound manner.
It called for implementation of e-office system in the Archaeology department for effective administration, as with other departments.
Urgent steps should be taken to secure the UNESCO heritage tag for the Edakkal caves in Wayanad so that they could be better conserved. The move would also propel its chances of gaining international attention.
Registration regulating storage and exhibition of artefacts should be strictly followed. Those in possession of antiquities should register these to obtain the right to legally possess them.
The panel stressed the need for creating awareness through local bodies on how to handle antiquities, how to register them with the authorities, keep them safe, as well as their sale and transfer.
Services of guides, with priority to local people, should be ensured at each heritage structure. As the number of visitors to the 16 museums under the departments was high, a cloak room should be set up in each museum to store visitors’ belongings.
It also mooted regular scientific conservation and maintenance of monuments and museums under the department.
Archives
One of the committee’s main recommendations for the Archives department is for space to be made available to set up a museum on the freedom movement in the State capital.
Taking note of limited space to store records taken over by the Archives department, the panel has mooted steps to make available adequate space for conservation of such documents.
It called for measures to create the post of first grade assistant archivist in the department for effective takeover and conservation of these documents. Training should be provided to assistant conservation officers and conservation trainees from time to time.
Availability of materials required for effective and timely conservation of records and chemicals required for fumigation, de-acidification, mending and binding should be ensured.
Importance should be given to the implementation of the community archives programme at the local level in order to increase public awareness on the importance of old manuscripts and records, and more such treasures can be unearthed.
It also sought details of steps taken to set up the international archives study centre at Karyavattom here.
