The Draft Geoheritage Sites and Georelics (Preservation and Maintenance) Bill, 2022
Why in news:
- A draft Bill, aimed at protecting India’s geological heritage that includes fossils, sedimentary rocks, natural structures, has raised alarm in India’s geosciences and palaeontology community.
- The bill vests powers entirely in the Geological Survey of India (GSI), a 170yearold organisation that comes under the Ministry of Mines.
More about the bill:
- Ministry of Mines has prepared a draft of the Geoheritage Sites and Geo-relics (Preservation and Maintenance) Bill, 2022 which seeks to provide for the declaration, preservation, protection and maintenance of geoheritage sites and geo-relics of national importance for geological studies, education, research and spreading awareness regarding them.
- The bill follows from India being a party to the UNESCO Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, adopted on 16th November 1972 at Paris and which India ratified on 14th November in 1977, to ensure the effective and active measures for protection, conservation and presentation of the cultural and natural heritage situated within its territory.
Salient features of the bill:
- The Bill provides for the declaration, preservation, protection and maintenance of geoheritage sites and geo-relics of national importance for geological studies, education, research and spreading awareness.
- The Bill provides for the declaration, preservation, protection and maintenance of geoheritage sites and geo-relics of national importance for geological studies, education, research and spreading awareness.
- Authorising the Central Government to declare a geoheritage site to be of national importance.
- The Central Government shall give two months’ notice and consider objections before the declaration.
- Geoheritage sites have been defined as sites containing geo-relics and phenomena, stratigraphic type sections, geological structures and geomorphic landforms including caves, natural rock-sculptures of national and international interest; and includes such portion of land adjoining the site that may be required for their conservation, protection and maintenance or for the means of access to such sites.
- Authorising the Central Government to acquire area under a geoheritage site under the provisions of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 (RFCTLARR Act), the acquisition being for a public purpose within the meaning of that Act.
- The Central Government and GSI are mandated to take steps to preserve and maintain every geoheritage site and for the same authorised to enter and inspect, survey, take measurements and samples, undertake exploration operations, examine documents, etc.
- The Bill imposes prohibition on construction, reconstruction, repair or renovation of any building within the geoheritage site area or utilisation of such area in any other manner, except for construction for preservation and maintenance of geoheritage site or any public work essential to the public.
- The Central Government is authorised to declare the area around each geoheritage site as prohibited area and regulated area and their extent may be different for each site.
- However, till such extent is declared for a specific site, the area of 100 m. around the geoheritage site shall be prohibited area and the area of 200 m. around such prohibited area shall be regulated area.
More about Geological survey of India:
- The Geological Survey of India(GSI) is a scientific agency of India.
- It was founded in 1851, as a Government of India organization under the Ministry of Mines.
- It is one of the oldest of such organisations in the world and the second oldest survey in India after Survey of India (founded in 1767).
- It was established for conducting geologicalsurveys and studies of India, and also as the prime provider of basic earth science information to government, industry and general public, as well as the official participant in steel, coal, metals, cement, power industries and international geoscientific forums.
Syllabus: Prelims + Mains; GS3 – Environment; GS1 – Culture