MYSORE: Government agencies seem to lack seriousness when it comes to saving heritage and historic buildings. Despite last week’s bitter experience of nearly losing the house of writer R K Narayan, neither local authorities nor government agencies have any action plan on this score, so far.

Even as the government is preparing itself to celebrate the 151st birth anniversary of architect of Mysore state sir M Visvesvaraya, who was born on September 15, 1960, officials are oblivious about the home where he spent his days as an engineer and diwan of erstwhile Mysore kingdom between 1909 and 1919. Neither the home where PWD SE offices are housed is declared a heritage structure nor is it in the list of 222 structures listed by the heritage commissionerate, declaring them heritage buildings.

The demands of Visvesvaraya’s admirers to the heritage commissionerate to take over the building have not yielded results so far. Crux of the matter is the heritage commissionerate, which listed 222 buildings as heritage structures in 2006, has failed to take note of the significance of the building and include it in its list of heritage structures.
“When they have listed 222 buildings including some private buildings, what prevented them from including Shilpi Nilaya (Sir MV’s abode) and take it over from PWD?” asked a senior engineer of the electricity department.
Visvesvaraya’s bust, installed by the then PWD minister H D Revanna, welcomes visitors to the stable, where his personal horses rested, which houses the technical section of the department.

When contacted, PWD SE R L Venkatesh, whose offices are located in this building, confirmed that the building was not included in the 222 list of heritage structures and buildings in the city. “I am proud of sitting and working in a building where a great man like Visvesvaraya lived. The PWD has no objection if the government comes forward and takes over the building, provided they make an alternative arrangement for our offices,” he said. “We don’t have any qualms to hand over the building, which is well-maintained by the PWD,” he added.

Meanwhile it is to be seen whether chief minister Sadananda Gowda, who is scheduled to inaugurate the two-day celebrations of 151st birth anniversary of Visvesvaraya, will take note of the issue and declare the building a heritage structure .