West Bengal Heritage Commission Act to include intangible heritage

The West Bengal Heritage Commission is mulling an amendment to the West Bengal Heritage Commission Act, 2001, to bring "intangible heritage" under its ambit, an official said here on Tuesday.

"West Bengal Heritage Commission Act, 2001, is only for 'built heritage' and not for 'intangible heritage'. The commission is mulling whether the act could be amended to bring intangible heritage under its ambit," state Heritage Commission Secretary Umapada Chatterjee told the media here.

We will consider opinions of all stakeholders. This will happen in due course of time," he added.

According to the Unesco, the "intangible cultural heritage" means the practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, skills -- as well as the instruments, objects, artefacts and cultural spaces associated therewith -- that communities, groups and in some cases, individuals recognise as part of their cultural heritage.

Yoga, one of India's ancient practices, has now been inscribed as an element in the Unesco's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Chatterjee said the state government is trying to come up with a new heritage policy and a high powered committee will be set up to look into it.

"The commission's website will also be up and running soon. The sites that have been restored will be put up on the website so that they can be integrated with tourism initiatives. The Commission is in a very bad state and we are trying to revive it," Chatterjee added.

An inventory of 174 heritage sites in Bengal will also be uploaded on the website, he said.

In addition, the Commission has also taken forward the matter of revival of activities at the conservation lab.

Chatterjee was speaking on the sidelines of the World Heritage Day seminar organised by the state government.