Karnataka Plans UNESCO Push for Lakkundi
Patil said conservation works would be taken up this year for six monuments in Lakkundi at a cost of Rs 10.16 crore.
Gadag: Lakkundi, the heritage-rich village in Gadag district known for its Chalukyan-era architecture, will be proposed for inclusion in UNESCO’s Tentative List of World Heritage Sites, Tourism and District in-charge Minister HK Patil said on Monday.
Speaking after hoisting the flag at the Republic Day celebrations, Patil said that the proposal will be submitted to the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) through the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) after obtaining government approval.
The Minister stated that various conservation and development works are being taken up through the Lakkundi Heritage Area Development Authority.
Patil said conservation works would be taken up this year for six monuments in Lakkundi at a cost of Rs 10.16 crore. These include the Virupaksha Temple, Mallikarjuna Temple and its pedestal, Chandramouleshwara Temple, Halagundi Basavanna Temple, Kannara Bavi and Kalmath Bavi along with compound wall works.
Referring to a recent incident in which a boy handed over valuable gold ornaments found in an ancient pot while digging the foundation of his house, the Minister said steps would be taken on humanitarian grounds to provide a house to the poor family, employment to the boy’s mother and education to the child, besides ensuring all compensation and benefits due to the family as per law.
To promote historical, religious and spiritual tourism in the district Rs 6.47 crore has been sanctioned for basic infrastructure development at the Sri Holalamma Devi temple in Shirahatti taluk.
In addition, Rs 13.05 crore has been released for infrastructure development at 22 religious centres in Gadag district, including the Veeranarayana and Trikuteshwara temples and the Jumma Masjid in Gadag city, and sites in Lakkundi.
He said that for boosting eco-tourism and wildlife tourism, the Tourism Department has released Rs 22.50 crore for four projects, including the expansion of the Kappatagudda Gadag zoo and development of Magadi lake, he added.