Mumbai, Jul 12 (PTI) Maharashtra Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar said on Saturday that the government will form separate committees for each Shivaji fort in the state included in the UNESCO World Heritage list, to ensure better management and preservation.

The ‘Maratha Military Landscapes’, representing the fortification system of Maratha rulers, have been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The decision was taken during the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee (WHC) held in Paris.

‘Maratha Military Landscapes’ include 11 forts in Maharashtra – Salher, Shivneri, Lohgad, Khanderi, Raigad, Rajgad, Pratapgad, Suvarnadurg, Panhala, Vijay Durg and Sindhudurg – and Gingee Fort in Tamil Nadu.

“Each fort will now have a dedicated committee to oversee its management,” Shelar told reporters here, adding that a state-level committee under the chief secretary and district-level committees under respective collectors are already functional for monitoring purposes.

Shelar was responding to remarks made by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray, who welcomed the UNESCO recognition of 12 forts associated with Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Thackeray has said that the government should focus on preserving and protecting the forts, which he described as the true legacy of the Maratha ruler.

In a post on X, the MNS chief said, “The government should demolish all unauthorised constructions on these forts immediately! Regardless of the religion or caste of the encroachers.” Shelar thanked Thackeray for appreciating the UNESCO recognition as well as for raising concerns. “The government’s position on those matters is clear. Our department is capable of handling all technical and management aspects,” he said.

He said the UNESCO selection process is highly technical and detailed. “UNESCO examines whether the monuments are legally protected, whether funds are allocated for their upkeep, and whether long-term conservation plans exist, even if the current condition is not ideal,” Shelar said.

“Each of the forts is either a central or state-protected monument. A scientific conservation and management plan has been prepared for each fort,” he said.

The minister also said that the government has issued an order to form committees under district collectors to address issues related to encroachments. “A survey of all forts has been completed as of January 31 this year. Some encroachments have already been removed, while action is ongoing in other cases,” he said.

Shelar said that “among seven proposals submitted from across the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had selected the one from Maharashtra for UNESCO’s consideration”. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis actively followed up on the proposal from Delhi to Paris, he said.

“We are managing the world heritage recognition process in a systematic and scientific way. Our department is fully capable of handling all technical and administrative matters,” Shelar said.

According to UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation), its World Heritage sites are places on Earth that are of outstanding universal value to humanity. They have been included in the list to be protected for future generations to appreciate and enjoy. PTI ND NR

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