THATTA: Four labourers were injured when a huge bamboo structure being erected close to the mausoleum of Abdullah Shah Ashabi within the boundaries of the world heritage site of Makli necropolis collapsed on Sunday.

The injured labourers were rushed to the Makli Civil Hospital for treatment.

The 40 to 50-foot-high structure was being erected to facilitate imparting of technical know-how to artisans and apprise them of the merits of Kashi art on glazed tiles.

The venue is intended to be used as a centre for studies, including surveys and interviews with selected artisan communities, on heritage sites in Makli, Hala, Nasarpur — mentioned in history as great centres of glazed ceramic tiles studies and production — as well as a display centre for the art.

Commenting on the mishap, former archaeology director general Qasim Ali Qasim said while he was in office, he had advised the federal government not to erect such [bamboo] structures anywhere at the Makli necropolis. He recalled that he being the archaeology DG had even dismantled such a structure from near the Sultan Ibrahim mausoleum.

Historian Dr Mohammed Ali Manjhi, Sindh Culture Forum chairman Sadiq Faqir Lakho, Doolha Dariya Khan Adabi Forum leader Allah Juriyo Burfat, Rasheed Jakhro and others have also expressed their concern over certain activists which were causing defacing of the world heritage site.

Published in Dawn January 30th, 2017