<p>The department of museum has sought a 4G exemption under Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement Act to expedite restoration of nearly 250 Svetoslav Roerich paintings languishing in a dank room for several years.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Department of Archeology, Museums and Heritage plans to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Intach Chitrakala Parishath Art Conservation Centre (ICKPAC) to also restore and conserve the paintings at Venkatappa Art Gallery (VAG).</p>.<p class="bodytext">The department is currently awaiting clearance from the Finance Department for the revised estimate for restoration. According to the earlier proposal, ICKPAC, a not-for-profit organisation, was to take up the project for Rs 65 lakh.</p>.<p class="CrossHead">Preparing MoU</p>.<p class="bodytext">With the department even preparing an MoU to this effect, the project cost has been revised to Rs 1 crore.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"We are forced to submit a revised estimate after the GST (implementation)," Commissioner for Archeology, Museums and Heritage T Venkatesh said. </p>.<p class="bodytext">"When 18% GST is applied, the cost goes up by more than Rs 1 crore. We have also asked for 4G exemption to expedite the project and are currently waiting for the Finance Department's approval," Venkatesh added.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The paintings have been in the custody of Central Crime Branch (CCB), following a legal battle over Roerich and his wife Devika Rani's property at Tataguni Estate on Kanakapura Road.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Though the paintings were restored six years ago by the Regional Conservation Laboratory (RCL), Mysuru, they began to deteriorate again having been kept in a closed dank room.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The department has asked ICKPAC to also restore as many as 32 paintings displayed at VAG and also 80 paintings displayed at the Government Museum, flanking the gallery.</p>
<p>The department of museum has sought a 4G exemption under Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement Act to expedite restoration of nearly 250 Svetoslav Roerich paintings languishing in a dank room for several years.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Department of Archeology, Museums and Heritage plans to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Intach Chitrakala Parishath Art Conservation Centre (ICKPAC) to also restore and conserve the paintings at Venkatappa Art Gallery (VAG).</p>.<p class="bodytext">The department is currently awaiting clearance from the Finance Department for the revised estimate for restoration. According to the earlier proposal, ICKPAC, a not-for-profit organisation, was to take up the project for Rs 65 lakh.</p>.<p class="CrossHead">Preparing MoU</p>.<p class="bodytext">With the department even preparing an MoU to this effect, the project cost has been revised to Rs 1 crore.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"We are forced to submit a revised estimate after the GST (implementation)," Commissioner for Archeology, Museums and Heritage T Venkatesh said. </p>.<p class="bodytext">"When 18% GST is applied, the cost goes up by more than Rs 1 crore. We have also asked for 4G exemption to expedite the project and are currently waiting for the Finance Department's approval," Venkatesh added.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The paintings have been in the custody of Central Crime Branch (CCB), following a legal battle over Roerich and his wife Devika Rani's property at Tataguni Estate on Kanakapura Road.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Though the paintings were restored six years ago by the Regional Conservation Laboratory (RCL), Mysuru, they began to deteriorate again having been kept in a closed dank room.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The department has asked ICKPAC to also restore as many as 32 paintings displayed at VAG and also 80 paintings displayed at the Government Museum, flanking the gallery.</p>
