Rotary to repair, restore

"We had been doing projects for rural people but there are many issues at the urban level which get neglected when we look in a broader perspective,” said Dr Sonya Mehta, then president of the Rotary Club of Bombay whose term concluded June end. She was referring to the 106-year-old Asiatic Society of Bombay, one of the oldest libraries in India which is suffering from neglect. Maintaining the collection of manuscripts, lithographs, fabrics, 1,300 maps and 12,000 coins requires funding, which the Rotary Club has decided to provide, reported The Free Press Journal (FPJ) in its edition of June 19, 2016.

Central Library of the Asiatic Society of BombayPhoto: Wikipedia

When Mehta visited the premises she saw a newspaper dated August 14, 1947 and was excited to read the coverage of India’s independence slated for the next day, but there was not much about the event and she realized that it held little importance for the British. What really saddened her was discovering that someone had torn a piece out of the newspaper and some of the pages were decrepit. Realizing the importance of preserving these historic archives for future generations, she decided to involve the Rotary Club in the project of restoring the books and other items.
Mehta remains a member of the committed team of people from the Club which has undertaken to restore the first 100 books and digitalize the documents, she informed Parsiana over the telephone. The paper has become brittle and there are cracks in the binding. Construction of a conservation laboratory on the premises has begun. "After doing ample research and consulting experts we decided to expand the floor space of the laboratory,” FPJ reports Mehta as saying. There will be drying platforms and shelves and equipment to control temperature and humidity, she adds. Looking after the installation of light fittings of the central hall and the chandeliers has also been taken over by the Club.
At another level, the Rotary Club is active in promoting energy efficiency at the Prince of Wales Museum of Western India (now renamed Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya) which receives a monthly bill of Rs 6.6 lakhs for electricity used for the display of its world class collection of exhibits, as well as air-conditioners, lights and fans. "We have been promoting issues of environmental concern in the city. It is on the agenda of our Club. So we decided to do this by installing the rooftop solar power plant at the Museum which is one of the largest in the city,” Mehta shared with the newspaper. Though she is no longer involved with this project, she told Parsiana, the Club’s initiative continues. This solar plant will produce 2,000 units of electricity per month, which will light up the garden and areas surrounding the heritage structure, mentions FPJ, at a cost of about three lakh rupees, which includes annual maintenance for five years.
Yet another project in the pipeline is to support the rainwater harvesting being undertaken by the Museum authorities.