“Rani-ki-Vav and GHNP” nominated by India for UNESCO’s World Heritage Site Status 2014
India nominated Rani-ki-Vav and the Great Himalayan National Park (GHNP) for UNESCO’s World Heritage Site Status for 2014. The World Heritage Committee will convene in Doha, Qatar, in June 2014 to review the nomination and take a final decision.
Process to confirm World Heritage status
Only countries that have signed the World Heritage Convention and pledged to protect their natural and cultural heritage, can submit nomination proposals for properties on their territory to be considered for inclusion in UNESCO’s World Heritage List.
The nomination process for selecting World Heritage site:
- Tentative List: Countries create an inventory of potential monuments and natural sites and include them in the Tentative List.
- The Nomination File: The concern department in particular country selects a few sites and nominates them for final inscription, every year to the World Heritage centre. The centre sends it to the Advisory bodies, the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) and the World Conservation Union (IUCN) for evaluation mandate by the World Heritage Convention.
- Advisory Bodies: UNESCO appoints advisory committees to evaluate the nominations.
- World Heritage Committee: Once a site has been nominated and evaluated, the intergovernmental World Heritage Committee meets to decide which sites will be inscribed on the World Heritage list.
About Rani-ki-Vav
- Location: Patan, Gujarat.
- Constructed by Queen Udayamati of the Solanki dynasty.
- The 11th century stepwell and is one of the finest examples of stepwells in Gujarat.
- The well is subterranean structure with a series of steps, board landings, pavilions and sculpted walls which provides access to water in deep water. It is of seven storeys with five exist and there are more than 800 elaborate sculptures which are survived. This is a protected monument under the Archeological Survey of India.
About Great Himalayan National Park (GHNP)
- Location: Kullu region in Himachal Pradesh.
- Established: 1984 and declared as National Park in 1999.
- Area: 452 sq mi.
- Known for its biodiversity and has more than 25 forest types, 800 kinds of plants and is home to more than 180 bird species.
- Habitat to numerous flora and more than 375 fauna species that comprises nearly around 31 mammals, 181 birds, 3 reptiles, 9 amphibians, 11 annelids, 17 mollusks and 127 insects.
Month: Current Affairs - March, 2014
Category: Places in News Current Affairs