Ruins of the Buddhist Vihara at Paharpur

a) Lack of an effective management system;

b) Lack of adequate human and financial resources;

c) Property and buffer zone boundaries not clearly defined;

d) Drainage and internal moisture contents problem.

Total amount provided to the property: USD 800,000 from UNDP, UNESCO, Japan Funds-in-Trust, France UNESCO Cooperation Agreement and NORAD

The World Heritage Committee in Decision 32 COM 7B.64 noted the lack of progress in the implementation of the activity concerning drainage problems at the property and in the development of a management plan. In particular, it expressed serious concern about recent works carried out at the site concerning the installation of draining pipes along the main stupa and light fittings in its immediate vicinity and requested the State Party to suspend these works and implement appropriate mitigating measures to prevent possible deterioration of the property until the situation is reassessed by a joint World Heritage Centre/Advisory Bodies reactive monitoring mission. The World Heritage Committee also requested the State Party to continue its efforts towards the definition of the boundaries of the property and the buffer zone and encouraged the State Party to submit a request for International Assistance to undertake this task. The proposed delimitation of the property and its buffer zone, as well as the management plan for the property, were to be submitted to the World Heritage Centre by 1 February 2010. The World Heritage Committee further requested the State Party to develop a draft Statement of Outstanding Universal Value including the conditions of integrity and authenticity. The World Heritage Committee urged the State Party to strengthen the capacity of the Department of Archaeology by providing it with adequate human and financial resources.

The State Party’s progress report was sent on 23 February 2009, just before the joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS reactive monitoring mission (24 February-1 March 2009). It indicated that the State Party is in the process of implementing the recommendations of previous advisory missions carried out in the framework of International Assistance projects in 2007 and 2008 and looked forward to advice from the forthcoming reactive monitoring mission.

The State Party indicated that the drainage pipes from the top of the structure had been replaced, as previously recommended, and that all the drains, including both open air non-metallic and underground, had been cleared. The Department of Archaeology (DOA) had submitted a project proposal to the central government for approval that will deal with the drainage issue and also enable completion of the management plan.

The State Party further indicated that the light fittings near the central stupa were temporary and would be removed after the original terracotta plaques have been replaced by replicas. It recognised the need for adequate human and financial resources and agreed to submit a request for International Assistance to undertake a project to define the boundaries of the property and the buffer zone. The State Party assured the World Heritage Committee that it would develop a draft Statement of Outstanding Universal Value including the conditions of integrity and authenticity, and that it would seek assistance from the Advisory Bodies and/or the forthcoming mission to that end.

The mission noted that, while the authorities had made some progress in implementing the recommendations formulated by the World Heritage Committee, a large number of key conservation and management issues had not been resolved. The mission found that these problems were directly linked to the lack of a methodological approach to conservation and the absence of a management plan. In addition to the considerable number of staff vacancies within the DOA, the staff require professional guidance and training in concepts and practices of heritage conservation and management. Failure to seek assistance and advice from national experts, national institutions, universities and the public sector have added to the isolation of decision making. The replacing of drainage pipes embedded in the brickwork, as reported to the 32nd session of the World Heritage Committee (Quebec City, 2008), was found to have caused irreversible damage to the original brickwork. As regards the processes leading to damage caused by water and salinity, further studies are needed. Systematic monitoring of the property, especially the terracotta plaques, both in situ and in storage, is required to measure the extent of the decay, while better security and visitor management is needed to prevent visitors climbing on the central shrine.

The mission recommended that no major interventions should be carried out until a management plan that sets the priorities for protection and conservation has been established, and provided advice on maintenance activities to be carried out. With regard to boundary definition, the mission found that, while the DOA is in the process of developing new boundaries, this is not being done on the basis of an agreed Statement of Outstanding Universal Value. Further, adequate maps of the geomorphology, hydrology and land-use/ownership status of the area are needed to inform the definition of the buffer zone.

The World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies consider that unless the management effectiveness and conservation of the property are significantly improved by the State Party in the near future, the impact of the above-mentioned threats could eventually lead to its inscription on the List of World Heritage in Danger. Priority should be given to developing a management plan based on a Statement of Outstanding Universal Value, including appropriate conservation policies and provisions for a buffer zone. The State Party should be encouraged to request International Assistance under the World Heritage Fund to this end.