<p>Microfilm rolls at the State Archives, safeguarding priceless historical records of Karnataka, are facing permanent damage because of the lax attitude of the State government.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Sensitive microfilms rolls preserved in Room 9 of the Vidhana Soudha are gradually melting due to variation in the temperature. Some of the rolls are damaged by rodents. However, the government has turned a blind eye to the problem and the irrecoverable loss.<br /><br />The State Archives has about 1,400 microfilm rolls comprising 14 lakh records. Each microfilm roll contains about 1,000 pages. Some of the historically significant documents microfilmed are the draft treaty between the British and the then rulers of Mysore, Marathas and others, proceedings of the government since 1884, gazettes, private papers, newspapers and periodicals.<br /><br />Of these, 10 rolls are almost completely damaged in the absence of proper room temperature. Microfilms that have been damaged pertain to newspapers of the pre-Independence period like ‘Swadeshi Abhimani’, ‘Kodagu’, ‘Vijaya’, Hardikar’s paper and ‘Panchacharya Prabha’ and some private papers of historical importance, sources said.<br /><br />According to sources, the room temperature should be maintained at around 21 degree Celsius to preserve microfilms rolls. Besides, the air should be fresh and dust-free. But the condition of Room 9 is just the opposite: it is dusty, cramped and there is hardly any space for installing the air-conditioning system. Moreover, the office staff have not been able to put to use sophisticated equipment like microfilming camera, processor, printers, readers and scanners due to space constraint. Many of these equipment are imported. The room is also infested by rodents, sources said. <br /><br />The room — approximately measuring 1,200 sq ft — was quite spacious and microfilm rolls were maintained well till a few years ago. The condition turned worse when the government bifurcated the room to accommodate the Advisor to Chief Minister (Urban Affairs) A Ravindra’s office in 2008.<br /><br />Though the Directorate of Archives repeatedly warned the department that microfilms would be damaged, nothing was done to safeguard them. The department of personnel and administrative reforms (DP&AR) bifurcated the room and allotted a part of it to the chief minister’s advisor though Ravindra had not insisted on it, sources said.<br /><br />Sources said Room 9 was among a few reserved for designated use in the Vidhana Soudha. Some of the other places are office of the chief minister, the chief secretary and Cabinet Hall. These places are identified in the structure plan of the Vidhana Soudha. The DP&AR is not supposed to alter or shift these places, sources said.<br /><br />When contacted, Director of State Archives Kanchivaradaiah said all efforts were being made to preserve microfilms. “The decision to bifurcate the room was taken much before I assumed office as director. We had recently written to DP&AR highlighting the problem. But the DP&AR refused to make any changes and asked us to continue with the present arrangement,” he said.<br /><br />Historical decay<br />* Microfilms in the State Archives are getting damaged due to lack of air conditioning* About 10 microfilms have been almost completely damaged<br />* Some of the documents pertaining to pre-Independence period have been damaged.</p>
<p>Microfilm rolls at the State Archives, safeguarding priceless historical records of Karnataka, are facing permanent damage because of the lax attitude of the State government.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Sensitive microfilms rolls preserved in Room 9 of the Vidhana Soudha are gradually melting due to variation in the temperature. Some of the rolls are damaged by rodents. However, the government has turned a blind eye to the problem and the irrecoverable loss.<br /><br />The State Archives has about 1,400 microfilm rolls comprising 14 lakh records. Each microfilm roll contains about 1,000 pages. Some of the historically significant documents microfilmed are the draft treaty between the British and the then rulers of Mysore, Marathas and others, proceedings of the government since 1884, gazettes, private papers, newspapers and periodicals.<br /><br />Of these, 10 rolls are almost completely damaged in the absence of proper room temperature. Microfilms that have been damaged pertain to newspapers of the pre-Independence period like ‘Swadeshi Abhimani’, ‘Kodagu’, ‘Vijaya’, Hardikar’s paper and ‘Panchacharya Prabha’ and some private papers of historical importance, sources said.<br /><br />According to sources, the room temperature should be maintained at around 21 degree Celsius to preserve microfilms rolls. Besides, the air should be fresh and dust-free. But the condition of Room 9 is just the opposite: it is dusty, cramped and there is hardly any space for installing the air-conditioning system. Moreover, the office staff have not been able to put to use sophisticated equipment like microfilming camera, processor, printers, readers and scanners due to space constraint. Many of these equipment are imported. The room is also infested by rodents, sources said. <br /><br />The room — approximately measuring 1,200 sq ft — was quite spacious and microfilm rolls were maintained well till a few years ago. The condition turned worse when the government bifurcated the room to accommodate the Advisor to Chief Minister (Urban Affairs) A Ravindra’s office in 2008.<br /><br />Though the Directorate of Archives repeatedly warned the department that microfilms would be damaged, nothing was done to safeguard them. The department of personnel and administrative reforms (DP&AR) bifurcated the room and allotted a part of it to the chief minister’s advisor though Ravindra had not insisted on it, sources said.<br /><br />Sources said Room 9 was among a few reserved for designated use in the Vidhana Soudha. Some of the other places are office of the chief minister, the chief secretary and Cabinet Hall. These places are identified in the structure plan of the Vidhana Soudha. The DP&AR is not supposed to alter or shift these places, sources said.<br /><br />When contacted, Director of State Archives Kanchivaradaiah said all efforts were being made to preserve microfilms. “The decision to bifurcate the room was taken much before I assumed office as director. We had recently written to DP&AR highlighting the problem. But the DP&AR refused to make any changes and asked us to continue with the present arrangement,” he said.<br /><br />Historical decay<br />* Microfilms in the State Archives are getting damaged due to lack of air conditioning* About 10 microfilms have been almost completely damaged<br />* Some of the documents pertaining to pre-Independence period have been damaged.</p>
