The Hindu : New Delhi News : New Bill to help protect monuments

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Dec 17, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

New Bill to help protect monuments

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, DEC. 16. The Delhi Assembly today passed the Delhi Ancient and Historical Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Bill. The Bill was introduced by the Minister of Education and Tourism, Arvinder Singh Lovely. While the State Department of Archaeology has been in existence for over 20 years now, the Bill will finally give it the legal backing it desperately needed. The Bill will also help save buildings that are not protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

Earlier passed by the Assembly on March 29, 2000, the Bill was returned by the President of India this year, suggesting certain amendments which were incorporated today. The Bill provides for protection for any structure, erection or monument, or tumulus or place of interment or any cave, rock-sculpture, inscription or monolith, which is of historical, archaeological or artistic interest and which has been in existence for not less than 100 years.

This Bill also gives the Delhi Government power to take steps to prevent the destruction of a monument that has been protected under the Act in public interest. The Delhi Government will also have the right to fence or cover the portion of land adjoining the site of an ancient monument. The Bill provides that no construction and mining activities will be allowed within 50 metre area around the monument. Beyond that a further 100 metres will be designated as a regulated area, in which construction and mining activities will only be undertaken after getting permission from the Government.

The Bill also stipulates that an Advisory Council for monuments and archaeological sites will be constituted to advise the Government on policy issues.

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