Jaisalmer collector writes to ASI DG to allow repairs of houses in Sonar Fort

Jaisalmer: Highlighting the condition of dilapidated houses and deterioration of Sonar Fort, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, district collector Ashish Modi has written a letter to DG ASI, Delhi, and requested to give permission to permanent residents to who have submitted applications to repair their houses and to deploy a permanent officer here so that problems related to Sonar Fort can be resolved in time.

Many buildings in the fort are getting dilapidated due to which some big accidents can take place. ASI and other agencies concerned are not taking care of the fort due to which it is losing its original form. There is continuous tampering with its original form and due to seepage of water in its foundation the walls and houses are getting dilapidated.

Looking at it, Modi has written a letter to ASI DG which mentions that 1,500-1,800 people reside in the fort. Many of them have applied for permission to repair their dilapidated houses, but approval from the department is still pending. There are chances that these houses can collapse any day for the want of repair and cause loss of human life and property which will create public resentment and disrupt the law and order situation. Apart from this, the high court too has directed to immediately resolve the correspondence of petty repairs in the writ petition 5907/2003 on May 14, 2004.

On November 23, many points were put forth in the fort conservation committee and discussion was held in this regard.

For early execution of the pending applications of the residents, the local officers should be bound so that the residents can start the repairs.

It is also mentioned in the letter that there are two municipal council wards that require regular coordination with ASI but as there is no regular officer and the officer given additional charge comes once in 1-2 months and the general public has to face problems regularly. So, the DG has been requested to post a permanent officer here.