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According to my opinion whenever we read news related to the auction of our nation’s cultural artefacts, the higher authorities should immediately inform our Prime Minister and he should talk to the ministry of the Western country where auction is being held and bring our heritage property back. I am sure that in today’s era of globalisation no country wants to spoil relationship with fast developing country like India as it is market of numerous multinational companies for selling their goods. Huge population of our nation is also an asset in comparison to all other countries of the West where the populace is low and sale of their prepared goods is not so appropriate.
Nakhpreet Kaur, Chandigarh
intelligence agencies must be vigilant
It's highly deplorable that despite efforts of the Chandigarh Administration heritage furniture designed by Le Corbusier and his associate are finding way abroad. The nexus between custodians of such items and unscrupulous elements is so strong that they are able to hoodwink the system to pilfer and ferry across furniture and other artefacts. Some time ago, an auction in the US fetched Rs 1.4 crore while at recent auction in the same country the hammer fell at Rs 1.44 crore. This huge price in foreign markets attracts anti-social elements to indulge in nefarious activities. In the fitness of things, each heritage item should be on relevant inventory record with absolute responsibility of the stockholder to ensure safety and security. For slip sods on the part of the custodian, severe deterrent action must be taken. Besides, intelligence agencies must be vigilant for pre-emptive action.
SS Arora, Mohali
Shift heritage items to Sector 10 museum
Chandigarh, the City Beautiful came into existence in early 50s and became a state capital of Punjab, which comprised the present Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Union Territory of Chandigarh. Le Corbusier joined by his cousin Pierre Jeanneret planned the city and designed furniture for government offices, colleges, Panjab University and High Court. The design and durability of the furniture attracts the eye. Many items are still in use or in the stock. These items have been labelled as heritage furniture. To protect heritage items these may be shifted to the Sector 10 museum in Chandigarh, so that the new generation can view their elegance, beauty and durability when they visit the City Beautiful and it does not fall under the hammer abroad. The Chandigarh Administration should evolve a foolproof system to protect heritage items.
Harish Kapur, Chandigarh
Take help of Central Government
The auction of the heritage furniture of Chandigarh designed by Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeanneret cannot be stopped without the help of the Central Government. The Chandigarh Administraion should approach Centre to take up the matter with governments of countries where heritage items are auctioned. We on our part should take steps to stop pilferage of these items from our stores. Proper records of heritage items should be maintained and checked regularly. Responsibility of officials concerned should be fixed. If any deficiency is found guilty should be punished. Smuggling of such items must be checked strictly and stopped.
Bharat Bhushan Sharma, Chandigarh
Admn has failed to maintain legacy
Fifty four years after the death of Le Corbusier, not only he himself, but all residents of Chandigarh are being forced to bear pain and agony due to neglect of the first Indian Smart City by the present administrators, the local MP and the Mayor. The Chandigarh Administration is not only failing to ensure the maintenance of a legacy, but degrading the vision, creativity and foresight of a master craftsman. Auctions of heritage furniture are a miniscule matter as compared to tenets on the foundation of which the city was developed. Today, the City Beautiful is in a state of neglect all due to bureaucratic red-tapism. Corbusier, along with Pierre and ICS Fletcher had the vision to have self-sustained living and work areas, shopping and entertainment, all within walking distances. Today, what we have is 12 lakh vehicles on roads for an equal number of residents leave aside floating numbers from the tricity areas. The Central Government should buy back heritage furniture through funds or with contributions from citizens. The important aspect that needs immediate attention is to ensure that the seed of Chandigarh as planted by Corbusier flourishes and ecologically sensitive and climate responsive design, manifests to the new Smart Cities as a legacy. This would be the greatest tribute to the best urban planner, ever seen and experienced. He had not only detailed each of the needs of the 1950s, but of the future too, which is why the city survives today despite the pain felt by residents.
Rajiv Boolchand Jain, Chandigarh
Tie up with nations where auction is held
The auction of heritage furniture designed by Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeanneret is unfortunate. The diplomatic channel tie with nations auctioning heritage furniture of Chandigarh seems to be missing. There is a need to tie up with nations to stop the auction of UT's heritage furniture in future. Heritage furniture must be brought back from countries holding it for future auctions through official and diplomatic channels. There is also a need to find out how heritage furniture has reached foreign shores. The responsible and accountable people, who are supposed to handle and verify stock of heritage furniture at different intervals, must be questioned to find out ways and means to prevent such items from being shipped out.
Wg Cdr Jasbir Singh Minhas (retd), Chandigarh
Contended citizens think of nat'l importance
How, after all, self-emotional, psychological, and existence-level victims, majority of nationals, can be true valuers of national heritage items-n-monuments? Opportunistic-n-materialistic leaders and administrators could hardly inculcate heritage spirit among masses. Governments need to maintain citizens first and then educate-n-instil among them faith and cultural heritage spirit. Only contended citizens can think of national importance and humanitarian values. Damaging practices would automatically exit society.
MPS Chadha, Chandigarh
Rope in public to prevent theft
The auction of heritage furniture should be stopped immediately. This can be done by locating, tabulating and earmarking heritage furniture by the UT Administration. Maintain a proper record of heritage furniture both in physical and digital form. Issue an advisory to the auction houses to crosscheck any heritage furniture from the city before putting under hammer. Make a designated official accountable for heritage furniture in organisation in which it is lying. Penalise/prosecute official on the loss of furniture in his custody. If possible, RFID tags can be attached to such furniture pieces. In today's technological environment, it seems absurd when theft of city's heritage is reported. Rope in public in this exercise. Reward a person, who can report and help in locating the lost heritage furniture.
Dr Rajeev Kumar, Chandigarh
Guilty should be identified and booked
It is very sad, shocking and shameful that Chandigarh's heritage items are stolen and auctioned in foreign countries with impunity for the past many years. Are these heritage items not stored under lock and key? Are there no security guards deployed for their safety? How do these heritage items stolen and find their way abroad? It is ridiculous. Just the other day a manhole cover was stolen from Sector 22. The Administration has adopted careless and callous approach towards safety of heritage items in the city. The guilty should be identified and brought to book and efforts be made to get all auctioned heritage items back to the City Beautiful immediately.
RK Kapoor, Chandigarh
Keep heritage furniture in museum
It is my humble request to the UT Administration not to auction heritage furniture designed by Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeanneret because it will be an insult to them. I would suggest that heritage furniture be kept in a museum and properly looked after so that people, who visit the city, may see and appreciate beauty of such items.
Tarlok Singh, Chandigarh
Old furniture sold as scrap
Outcry over auction of the heritage furniture abroad is a hoax. It is cry over spilt milk. Cause of concern and remedial action arise only if there is any unlawful theft or smuggling, which does not seem to be the case as old furniture is often officially disposed of as scrap. Since auctions are online, wide publicity can be given abroad via internet. Business is exploiting the demand and supply chain for profit, buying cheap from those, who can spare and deliver to the needy at a cost. Businessmen earning from this practice are akin to the Administration making money by auctioning vehicle registration numbers as craze knows no costs and limits.
Lalit Bharadwaj, Panchkula
Rope in NGOs, people for charity
The heritage of Chandigarh, the City Beautiful, does not belong to an individual. To curb such practice of selling heritage furniture collective effort should be made. The Chandigarh Administration should generate separate funds to preserve such commodities. Many NGOs will surely be ready to help for such a noble cause. Their services should be availed at the earliest. Many affluent people will also be ready for charity. The only thing is to contact such people and organisations, which is the sole duty of the UT Administration. Common Chandigarhians can also contribute whatever small amount they can for this purpose. I am sure only monetary problem is the reason behind selling of heritage furniture. Proper planning for generating funds can help avoid such issues in future. This is where the Chandigarh Administration lags behind. So, the Administration must work to stop all such practices, which will destroy Chandigarh's heritage.
Bir Devinder Singh Bedi
Display heritage items at functions
Auction of heritage furniture is lucrative business in Chandigarh. Countries like France give premium price for heritage items. The Chandigarh Administration should construct a museum or start yearly mela (fair) or function of heritage furniture to attract people and make them aware about the value of such items.
Avinash Goyal, Chandigarh
Find out whether items are stolen
Theft of some heritage items was reported a few years ago. In view of the outcry in the media, the UT Administration went proactive to trace loopholes and assured people of zero tolerance on such a recurrence. Now, the question arises as to the items auctioned in foreign countries as heritage furniture designed by Le Corbusier and his associate in Chandigarh are out of the stolen lot or his name is misused to auction fake items. Therefore, the Administration must ascertain facts from its own sources. If items sold are original, the Administration must then advance its claim on the auction proceeds as a matter of its first right even by resorting to legal course if necessary.
SC Luthra, Chandigarh
Residents must know Corbusier’s creativity
Don't auction heritage furniture. Rather, heritage items should be displayed at the Capital Complex. Other way is to put heritage furniture at reception areas in government departments to let masses know about Le Corbusier and his creativity. A museum can be opened and furniture, drawings and tapestries made by Le Corbusier can be displayed. People must know about his creativity.
Abhilasha Gupta, Mohali
Scrapped items must be auctioned by UT
The Chandigarh Administration has failed miserably to stop auction of city's heritage furniture items by foreign auction houses. In the last three years foreign auction houses earned Rs 6.20 crore by selling heritage furniture items designed by city's creator French architect Le Corbusier, his cousin Pierre Jeanneret and others associated with the founding and planning of Chandigarh. City Beautiful has 12,793 heritage items designed by Corbusier or his team associated with its founding and planning in 1950s and 60s. As per report, there are 190 different categories of heritage items, including drawings, murals, models, tapestries, chairs, tables and others. Items like desks and chairs that Le Corbusier or Jeanneret personally sat or worked on, or a very few selected items that recall their presence in our midst, should be seen as 'heritage items' and preserved, because of the strong personal association with them, but not every table or chair of that design becomes 'heritage'. It is easy to cite examples. If a pair of thin-rimmed, round-shaped spectacles that belonged to Gandhiji, is regarded as a 'heritage' item, it makes sense; but not every pair of thin-rimmed round-shaped spectacles produced at that time by its manufacturers, qualifies to be a heritage spectacle. The furniture lot designed by Corbusier and his team in late 1950s was replaced in the late 1980s and early 1990s after which the Chandigarh Administration had tossed these items in its backyards and stores. Items except really heritage ones, which have already been declared scrap because of being unusable, should be auctioned in a professional way and that too by the UT Administration so as to fetch best prices in the international market and the amount thus earned should go into government treasuries.
Sanjay Chopra, Mohali
Preserve heritage of City Beautiful
Heritage is something preserved from the past. The UT Administration has failed to check auction of heritage items abroad. This means that the Administration is not serious about this matter. If the Administration is not auctioning these items then how are these reaching auctioneers in other countries? The Administration should keep heritage furniture in a museum. Earning money by selling our heritage is the worst thing to do. We love our heritage and want it to be preserved. People should not damage heritage. Camps should be organised to show people how much hard work went into producing heritage items. Our heritage is our pride. Don't auction it.
Saikrit Gulati, Chandigarh
Yes, auctions of heritage items are a serious matter. It has to be stopped. The Administration has taken up the matter with the Ministry of the Home Affairs and the Ministry of External Affairs. However, we must remember that these are only 60-year-old items. We have also seen 100-year-old or more heritage items auctioned the world over. So we should not get touchy about actions. Those who buy heritage items at huge price will keep these more carefully .
Manoj Parida, advisor to administrator
Inventoried furniture, architectural drawings and manhole covers should be notified as heritage items, legally protected and audited regularly. A full-time dedicated heritage cell and conservation laboratory should be set up for scientifically carrying out sensitive restoration and preservation work to prevent deterioration of items. A museum should be set up to showcase selected items and bring awareness among residents.
Sumit Kaur, former Chief Architect
The UT Administration is seized of the matter of pilferation of heritage and is taking steps, which are insufficient. The heritage items protection cell should be strengthened by appointing the Adviser as its chairman and bringing a represe-ntative from the Ministry of Culture. These items should be declared art treasure. We must frame SOP to deal with foreign auctions so that our embassies can raise concerns at such auctions and initiate investigations.
Ajay Jagga, Heritage Protection Cell
Heritage furniture was supplied to foreign counties due lack of awareness among people. Those involved in the business used ignorance of the people to their advantage. No one knew the importance when furniture was sold as scrap. Now, the Administration should organise camps and seminars to make people aware of the heritage items importance and stop their smuggling out of the country.
Chander Verma, Industrialist
The city is unique because of its heritage value. The Admini-stration should prepare a compre-hensive plan to save heritage items. Moreover, a separate museum should be set up where all such items should be kept for pviewing by public. It is responsibility of all residents and the Administration to keep heritage items secure for the future gene-rations. The police and other agencies should take strict action against those smuggling heritage items out of country.
MPS Chawla, former councillor
QUESTION
The revelation of unknown persons living 32 ft below the earth surface using a chamber meant for storm water pipes as “bunker” in Sector 36, Chandigarh, has triggered security concerns in the tricity. Do you think this is a failure of the police and the civil authorities because such chambers can be used by anti-social elements to hide after committing crimes?
Suggestions in not more than 70 words can be sent to openhouse@tribunemail.com
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