The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Mission to curb trafficking in antiquities

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Feb 24, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Mission to curb trafficking in antiquities

Special Correspondent

In some States it is an organised affair, laments Union Secretary

ASI SYMPOSIUM: (From left) Former Supreme Court judge Rathinavel Pandian; Neena Ranjan, Union Secretary, Culture, C. Babu Rajeev, Director-General, ASI, and T. Sathyamurthy, Superintending Archaelogist, ASI, Chennai Circle, at the symposium in Chenna i on Thursday. — Photo: Vino John

CHENNAI: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) will shortly launch a national mission in antiquities and monuments as part of the efforts to deal effectively with illicit trafficking in cultural property.

The mission will galvanise various agencies, Union Secretary, Culture, Neena Ranjan, said while inaugurating a two-day national symposium on `Prevention of illicit trafficking of cultural property' organised here by the ASI and UNESCO. She said the country's cultural heritage was so grand and unique that it attracted traffickers. At present, there were laws and several agencies to prevent smuggling of cultural property.

Still a great deal had to be done. In some States, trafficking was on as an organised affair. The Chief Secretaries and Home Secretaries had been alerted. The Interpol helped various agencies tackle the problem. But it could assist only if the local agencies did their homework, including documentation. This would help in nabbing the offenders. .

In his keynote address, ASI Director-General C. Babu Rajeev said one of the mandates of the national mission would be to strengthen communication channels and build awareness through a series of measures, including an interaction with the Department of Education to introduce inputs in the school and university curriculum. The proposed amendments to the Antiquity and Art Treasure Act, 1972, were aimed at plugging the loopholes and making the law more stringent.

The country's monuments faced a threat from the degrading environment. The interest to learn and keep traditions alive was lacking.

Products of traditional knowledge were pirated and patented by people who had no right over them.

Examine the laws

Former Supreme Court judge Ratnavelpandian said the meeting should examine the past and existing laws and those needed to meet the challenges. Existing laws needed more teeth.

The organisers said the symposium would cover measures for protection of artefacts, linking stakeholders with the law enforcement agencies and strengthening security.

Amarendra Nath, Director, ASI, Planning, and National Museum, said the symposium was an outcome of a regional workshop held in New Delhi recently. T. Satyamurthy, Superintending Archaeologist, ASI, Chennai Circle, said the participants included those from the ASI, the Customs, the CBI and the police.

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