Several conservationists, historians, academicians and architects have written to the Centre, asking it to reconsider an amendment to the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 2010, which was approved by the Union Cabinet.
The signatories to the appeal said the amendment had decided to allow centrally-funded projects to come up in prohibited areas under nationally-protected monuments. This, they said, was against the objective of the Act ‘to preserve, conserve, protect and maintain all ancient monuments and archaeological sites and remains declared of national importance, and their surrounding areas up to a distance of 300 metres’.
Universal assets
“If the amendment is given effect, construction will take place in the immediate vicinity of protected properties of national importance, that is, within 100 metres of their delineated boundaries,” read the letter. The signatories said these monuments were a significant part of India’s soft power, besides being universal cultural assets.
