UT may take pride in calling itself a city of modern heritage, but when it comes to protecting and preserving it, the administration has not been able to do much.

The rare, state-of-the-art furniture belonging to city's creator Le Corbusier and his associate Pierre Jeannerret is lying in state of utter neglect in various government buildings of the city. What's more shocking is that a large number of French collectors come here and buy these rare items for peanuts at public auctions. Then they sell these pieces of furniture at exorbitant rates in their home country. " Since Corbusier stayed in France, items belonging to him fetch a huge price in there," say sources.

Kiran Joshi, senior professor at Chandigarh college of architecture told TOI that most of the Corbusier's furniture is immovable. "The neglected and unused pieces of movable furniture belong to Jeannerret, his cousin and associate who stayed in Chandigarh for nearly 14 years." Some old furniture is also lying in the Punjab and Haryana High
Court building and Assembly Halls of Punjab and Haryana.

Now, to preserve it and find ways for its suitable disposal, UT administration has set up a three-member committee. The panel includes Prof Kiran Joshi, principal of Chandigarh college of architecture Rajnish Wattas and chief architect Sunita Monga. "We will take care of these neglected items. Also special auctions would be organised by involving the interested French collectors," said Joshi.