ROLE AND ACTIVITIES

The long term goal of INTACH and its chapters is to realize the objectives as stated in the memorandum of association of the society/trust, in the short term of ten years is to realize the following goals:

• Widen and strengthen its base of membership
• Energize and activate members
• Have periodic meetings and interaction amongst members
• Develop into a highly competent and efficient organization in all matters concerning preservation and conservation of art and cultural heritage by building the requisite professional and other skills.
• Become the primary advisor in the matter of preservation and conservation of art and cultural heritage to institutions within the government and outside, especially institutions of decentralized governance
• Put into place an effective system of networking with other like minded organization and build a mutual support system

Each Chapter is unique and the programmes and activities that it takes up will be determined bythe core interests of its members, the local priorities and problems, and the resources that they can gather for the purpose. However, there are certain areas which should be of interest to every Chapter. These are:

Develop a data base which should have an inventory of

1. Organizations/institutions/individuals (both governmental as well as non-governmental) who are engaged in activities related to preservation and conservation of the art and cultural heritage of the area or who could help in implementing such activities. The information should be not only in respect of the name, address, telephone number, TAX number, e-mail address, but should also briefly but clearly, mention the particular activity related to preservation and conservation of art and cultural heritage of the area that it is engaged in. The inventory should reflect the local resource that is available and which can be drawn upon when needed.
2. Fairs and festivals and similar annual or periodical events which are observed in the Chapter area and where people congregate in large numbers. The inventory should furnish the location, the month and the day and the particular significance of the event, and the range of people that participate in it, as also the names of the organizers who could be contacted for participation by the Chapter.
3. Anniversaries such as the World Environment Day, the World Heritage Day, etc and anniversaries of national, state and local importance that may have themes relevant to the preservation and conservation of art and cultural heritage.
4. The INTACH Foundation Day falls on 27th January every year which should be celebrated in an appropriate manner.

Undertake inventorisation (Listing) of (i) Natural Heritage, (ii) Built Heritage, (hi) Art Heritage and (iv) Living Heritage in accordance with the guidelines mentioned in Chapter 11, Part 1 to 4 of these Guidelines. These guidelines also contain suggestions for follow-up action on the listing and the role of statutory authorities, local communities, the civil society and citizenry. Such follow-up action should get incorporated in the Chapter's Plan of action. This work should be given the highest priority by the Chapter as it is the first essential step towards any meaningful conservation effort. The information thus collected can be effectively used for creating awareness about the local heritage. It can also facilitate action for providing legal protection to heritage assets. It is, however, important that listing must result in its Publication not only for record but also for its wider dissemination.

Some Chapters may be interested in documenting social customs, recording of folk songs and similar cultural forms and traditions which are under threat of being lost even to memory or under the influence of modernization. Some Chapters may like to extend the listing to such of their areas a may represent a unique cultural landscape such as a unique life style, land use patterns, etc. The Chapters Division of the INTACH will assist and collaborate with such Chapters in developing guidelines for the purpose. These could then be available as a guide to other Chapters as well.

Make all efforts to get the heritage assets covered with legal protection against demolition / desecration. A Chapter should actively seek the cases of heritage at risk and specially take up action to save them with the local authorities and the Chapters Division. Draft model regulations and a brief on Heritage Regulations are provided in Chapter 12 of these Guidelines to guide the Chapters.

Develop the competence to formulate technically sound and financially viable and fundable projects which can be executed on the basis of their own strength. The Chapter could request Chapters Division of INTACH to help in consultation with other relevant Divisions of the INTACH. The Chapter must be conscious of INTACH's legal responsibility as a whole while drawing up the agreements and the paramount need to adhere to the best standards.

Undertaking Projects can give the much needed financial viability and stability to a Chapter and the Chapter should thus be on the lookout for projects which can be posed for funding and execution. For this it has to acquire the needed professional competence and skill for formulating and negotiating projects. The Chapters Division in consultation with the relevant Division of INTACH can help a Chapter in achieving this objective. Project Formulation is an important skill and guidelines for this purpose will follow as a supplement to these Chapter Guidelines for the guidance of the Chapters.

Executing works for conservation of cultural heritage requires a high degree of professional competence. It cannot be said that currently we have it in adequate measure. Each Chapter should, therefore, endeavor to identify the professional talent and the skills available locally and build and enhance the competence of such professionals through training programmes, workshops and actual hands-on experience. It can request the Chapters Division to help. The Chapters Division will coordinate with the relevant Division of INTACH (Architectural Heritage Division, Natural Heritage Division, INTACH Indian Council of Conservation Institutes, Heritage Education and Communication Service Division) and extend whatever help is needed. The primary responsibility, however, must be shouldered by the Chapter. Competency Building is an important skill and guidelines for this purpose will follow as a supplement to these Chapter Guidelines for the guidance of the Chapters.

Where a Chapter has developed the capacity to take up the execution of a conservation project it must ensure that all sanctions, clearances, permissions, etc. required under the relevant laws and the rules and standing orders there-under are obtained before the actual execution of the work is taken in hand. Particular care should be taken to avoid any confrontation with the authorities who are charged with the responsibility and have the powers under these laws to regulate conservation activities. These authorities may be the local municipal authorities or the particular Panchayati Raj institution or the Archaeological Survey of India or the State Archaeology department. Particular attention should be given to the following:

1. Before taking up any conservation or development project within the perimeter of 500 mts of an ASI or State Archaeology protected monument or site, appropriate clearances should be obtained from the authorities concerned to take up the work
2. In the event that certain archaeological or natural artifacts or structures are found while working at the project site, the artifacts should not be removed without first informing the concerned authorities
3. As far as possible the local officers and agencies/local authorities concerned should be briefed appropriately of the work that is being undertaken within their jurisdiction.

Create awareness about the local heritage and its importance by

1. Organizing lectures, seminars, symposia, debates, competitions and group discussions
2. Participating in annual or periodic functions, fairs, festivals, celebration of days earmarked for specific heritage themes, etc.
3. Organizing treks, field trips, rallies, etc covering a river stretch, group of villages, nature parks or landscapes and similar areas
4. Organizing awareness camps
5. Involving the press, the electronic and indigenous media.

Participate in activities sponsored or organized by government departments or their agencies such as the Forest Department (in regard to afforestation, conservation and preservation of flora and fauna, etc), Tourism Department {festivals, exhibitions of local handicrafts, projecting built heritage, particularly archaeological monuments of interest to tourists, etc)

Participate in activities of other institutions such as the District Archaeological Association in regard to setting up of museums, collecting, cataloguing and displaying the exhibits, preservation and conservation of archaeological monuments, their notification under the relevant laws, developing the infrastructure for their upkeep and exploitation, especially for tourism

Networking with like-minded organizations should be an important part of the Chapter's activities. The Chapter should accordingly establish a continuous process of dialogue with organizations such as historical societies, professional bodies, museum societies, heritage societies, ICCR, youth organizations such as the Boy Scouts and Girl Guides, Nehru Yuvak Kendra, etc and have heritage conservation included in their activities. The Chapter's resource persons could actively participate in such activities.

Networking with schools needs special attention. A sense of heritage and its importance can be imbibed amongst school children by

1. Organising and encouraging visits to museums
2. Organising debates, poetry sessions, quizzes, poster making and painting competitions on heritage issues of local, regional and national importance
3. Motivating schools to take children to visit sites of historic and cultural importance
4. Conducting nature and heritage walks
5. Encouraging formation and running of heritage clubs and providing inputs to sustain them
6. Organising participative theatre on social/cultural/historical aspects
7. Developing educational programmes/resources/training aids for children about heritage that would provide learning alongside enjoyment
8. Encouraging schools to initiate interactive cultural programmes such as heritage melas, folk dances, folk music, local crafts exhibition, etc
9. Providing opportunities for interaction with conservation experts; and
10. Encouraging environment friendly local technology for water conservation, water harvesting, waste management, etc.

INTACH's Heritage Education and Communication Service Division (HECS) has initiated a campaign for establishing Heritage Clubs in schools and to enable these heritage clubs to organise the above mentioned activities it has published a heritage manual titled "Hands On Heritage - a Handbook on Cultural Education". The handbook also aims at encouraging the educational community to incorporate cultural education into the school curriculum. The Chapters can mobilize local resources to make this a nation-wide heritage campaign so as to initiate a YOUNG INTACH movement throughout the country. The handbook can be used for organizing Teachers Training Workshops which could then lead to the establishment of Heritage Clubs in schools on a sustainable basis. Interested INTACH members of the Chapter could be involved as volunteers to make this movement vibrant and viable.

Writing and publication of books, pamphlets, monographs, etc, pertaining particularly to the history and culture of the district or the region or specific historical or cultural sites.

Making written contributions to VIRASAT and the PATRIKA so as to make them more interesting and informative.

Filing of PILs (Public Interest Litigation petitions) in the Supreme Court or the relevant High Court in cases where there is a grievous threat to art or cultural heritage and which requires judicial intervention and orders. This should invariably be done by the Chapter in consultation with the Chapters Division of INTACH so that the wider ramifications of such in intervention are kept in mind.

Marketing of heritage products such as souvenirs, paper products, publications etc., either directly or in collaboration with like-minded organizations.

Instituting awards to recognize and reward efforts for the caring of our common cultural heritage.

The activities that must be foremost on each Chapter's agenda should be to

1. Create awareness for the care of our common heritage.
2. List this common heritage, be it Natural, Built, Art or Living heritage, particularly the first two. Naturally this refers to the local cultural heritage within the geographic jurisdiction of the chapter.
3. Fight for public cause i.e. prevention of destruction of natural and built heritage, wherever taking place.
4. Take up a passion project so that a Chapter is seen to be doing something tangible, and
5. Hold regular chapter meetings and report chapter activities atleast every quarter to the central office.

To achieve the above, each chapter must build its own internal strength, professionally (by involving professionals) as well as financially (by attracting donations and by taking up projects of local relevance). The Chapters Division could be contacted by the Chapter for formulating concrete activities for the purpose. The Chapter's Division will extend all the help that they can in coordination with the Architectural Heritage Division, the Natural Heritage Division, INTACH's Indian Council of Conservation Institutes and Heritage Education and Communication services Division.