LARKANA:Mohenjo Daro’s historical ruins are fast losing their originality due to climate change, rains, water-logging and salinity as the site’s bricks, which are thousands of years old, are decaying day by day.
According to a PPI survey, only 20% bricks are safe at the moment and 80% have been damaged due to lack of interest of the Sindh government. Despite the fact that new bricks were used by the artisans by replacing old ones but even then, neither basic work has been done on permanent basis nor annual works have been carried out to safeguard this treasure which is cherished globally.
According to experts, work must continue round the year to conserve the heritage but since last six months, it has been stopped for want of funds. Mud slurry has not yet been carried out and no work has been done since past 30 years on walls due to which cracks have started developing in these ancient walls and many walls have been given support.
About 500 walls of the monuments have lost the originality and out of 700 wells only 10 are available at the moment. The international experts had advised cheap local measures to protect the ruins from damage but the Sindh government has constantly showed non-serious attitude to save the historical ruins from collapse. Several international seminars and workshops have also proved to be useless for preservation of these monuments of Indus Civilization which has so far attracted thousands of foreign tourists who have visited this unique site. Dry core drilling work report has also been submitted to the government but the demarcation of the site is still awaited.
Known archaeologist Syed Hakim Ali Shah said that it was heartening to know that no permanent steps had so far been taken by Sindh government to protect the site. He said the Technical Committee of Mohenjo Daro had submitted several advises to the Culture Department and Sindh government but not a single had been implemented so far.
He said Mohenjo Daro could be saved with local expertise, which include mud, water and labour. He said: “If work is carried out, 12 months of a year and sanctioned funds are utilized properly then there would be no harm to the monuments.”
Former Director Archaeology Qasim Ali Qasim said that when Mohenjo Daro was with federal government, Rs100,000 were released monthly to save the ruins due to which no damage was done to the monuments as continuous work was done.
He said proper drainage system must be built to save the monuments. He said workshops were not needed as only practical works could ensure conservation for which local people should be recruited and trained properly.
He said it must be seen which artifacts were available in the maps of Sir John Marshal which should be exposed and protected.
Director Archaeology Sindh Abdul Fatah said that he would soon visit the site. He said that board of directors of National Fund for Mohenjo Daro had approved the works to be carried out soon to preserve monuments.
No Resource Center has been established for research works and experts despite passage of three years which was recommended by renowned archaeologists along with establishment of a library there. Iron grills or boundary wall around the land of Mohenjo Daro are yet to be completed by the Sindh government.
All above shows that Sindh Government has unfortunately ignored these historical ruins like other sites for which people of Sindh and international organizations like UNESCO can do better.