HOUSE REPORT ON ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA
WHY IN NEWS ?
- Recently , a parliamentary committee has recommended that the protected monuments list should be “rationalised and categorised” on the basis of their national significance, unique architectural and heritage value.
MORE ABOUT THE NEWS:
- Committee also raised questions about the functioning of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
- The committee said the list includes a large number of minor monuments with no national significance.
- It is estimated that this applies to at least a quarter of the current list of 3,691 monuments.
- In this regard, it says the list includes 75 graves of colonial-era soldiers or officials of no notable importance.
ABOUT ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA :
- The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), under the Ministry of Culture, is the premier organization for the archaeological researches and protection of the cultural heritage of the nation.
- Maintenance of ancient monuments and archaeological sites and remains of national importance is the prime concern of the ASI.
- Besides it regulate all archaeological activities in the country as per the provisions of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958. It also regulates Antiquities and Art Treasure Act, 1972.
WHAT ARE PROTECTED MONUMENTS ?
- An ancient monument which is declared to be of national importance by or under this act is called protected monument.
- All ancient and historical monuments which have been declared by the Ancient and Historical Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (Declaration of National Importance) Act, 1951, or by section 126 of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956 to be of national importance shall also be deemed to be protected monuments for the purposes of this Act.
MISSING ASI MONUMENTS :
- The committee said that the CAG had declared 92 CPMs as “missing”.
- The ASI has located only 42 of these monuments, while the remaining 50 monuments are either affected by rapid urbanisation, submerged under reservoirs/dams or are untraceable.
- The committee observes that monuments once lost cannot ever be retrieved.
- The CPMS are central to our historical heritage. The ASI should, therefore, give the highest priority to ensuring the physical security of all CPMs across the country.
CONCERNS RAISED BY COMMITTEE:
- The agency stated that as far as conservation work is concerned, there is an issue of shortage of human resources.
- The panel said India spends “a little amount” on the protection and upkeep of monuments.
- “It amounts to Rs 11 lakh per monument of national importance (Rs 428 crore for 3693 monuments in 2019-20),” it noted.
- The committee also said that there are certain places where restoration is being done without taking cognizance of the original design/beauty of the monument.
- The restoration works at many sites do not gel with the original design, it noted.
- In this regard, it said the ASI must undertake restoration work keeping the original structure, its relevance and aesthetics in mind.
- It also said concerns have been raised about the lack of prior experience of the private firms involved in restoration and conservation.
- There have been instances when companies without any expertise in the requisite domain are permitted to undertake those works, This has resulted in avoidable damage or destruction.
- It, therefore, recommended that only experienced Monument Mitras may be hired.
- The committee observes that till date, 531 monuments, that is, about 14.4 per cent of ASI’s total CPMs have been encroached. However, encroachments from only nine monuments have been removed since 2015.
RECOMMENDATIONS BY COMMITTEE:
- It recommended that the ministry may conduct a survey of all remaining monuments to ensure their physical existence and safety.
- It also recommended that regular physical surveys of all CPMs should be carried out from time to time.
- The committee said that preservation of a monument or a site is a core mandate of the ASI and recommended the central agency to develop preservation plans for all its work, especially before excavations.
- This includes establishing clear strategies for documenting findings, conserving artefacts, and restoring structures to ensure minimal impact on the site’s integrity.
- It also advocated the use of advanced technologies such as LiDAR, ground-penetrating radar, and 3D scanning enhanced accuracy and efficiency of excavations.
- Some of these techniques were recently used inside the Gyanvapi complex in Varanasi by the ASI for its court-mandated non-invasive survey, the report of which is yet to be made public.
- The committee recommended that the ASI should also provide support and assistance to individuals or families affected in the process of encroachment removal and help them transition to alternative livelihoods.
WAY FORWARD:
- The ASI should integrate sustainable practices in conservation and restoration projects, such as using eco-friendly materials, energy-efficient techniques, and taking into consideration the long-term environmental impact of interventions.
SYLLABUS: MAINS, GS-2, GOVERNANCE
SOURCE: THE INDIAN EXPRESS
