James Simpson (left) and Michael Russell at British Council. Picture by Aranya Sen

Heritage conservation may receive a much-needed boost following the visit of Scotland’s culture minister, Michael Russell, to Calcutta on Thursday. He, however, made it clear there was “no budget yet”.

Accompanied by James Simpson, the president of the International Council on Monuments and Sites UK for Scotland, Russell visited the Scottish cemetery in Karaya. “I am quite sure we can find a way of helping,” the minister later said. Most of the Scottish proposals are now in the realm of possibility.

The cemetery should be restored in three phases. It should first be cleared, Russell said. The next step would be to stabilise it and make it more attractive. Restoring the monuments will be a long-drawn-out process taking 20 years. Russell was hopeful of sharing skills and training young people involved in restoration.

Simpson added the cemetery required a proper conservation plan which will be a working document. Funding will be made available to employ six malis to keep the graveyard clean. A lightweight — perhaps bamboo — structure will be put up behind St Andrew’s church where a small number of boys and girls of the local community will be trained in crafts and skills of using brick, lime and mortar. This should be ready by next October and work would begin from the spring of 2011.

There is the possibility of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland, a recording organisation, collaborating with the West Bengal heritage commission. Russell, who met the chief minister on Thursday and signed an MoU, said he was aware that the abandoned and derelict Duff College — now part of Jorabagan police station — was in urgent need of restoration. Perhaps something will emerge from this visit.

Simpson has proposed a “conservation audit” of the Victoria Memorial Hall. Although the problem of funding has not been resolved yet, the Calcutta Tercentenary Trust may step in to fund the survey.

In 1992, the celebrated conservation architect, Bernard Feilden, had inspected drawings of the monument. Simpson will be allowed access to all 177 drawings of Edwardian times discovered recently in the Victoria Memorial Hall.