Parliament passes bill for better care of ancient monuments

New Delhi, March 16: Parliament Tuesday passed a bill amending and making more stringent the law for protection of ancient sites and monuments and constituting an expert committee to look after their conservation.

The bill, which was passed by the Lok Sabha Monday, was approved by the Rajya Sabha Tuesday.

The bill, which seeks to replace an ordinance by President Pratibha Patil, aims to strengthen the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958, and imposes stringent punishment on the violators of the act's provisions.

The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (Amendment and Validation) Bill, 2010, piloted by Law and Justice Minister Veerappa Moily, stipulates that a minimum area of 100 metres in all directions of the protected monuments and sites shall be declared prohibited for purposes of construction and no private or public construction in the prohibited area will be allowed except those undertaken by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

The ASI will be responsible for the upkeep, maintenance and management of the protected monuments and sites.

The bill says in addition to the 100 metres of prohibited area around the site, a minimum area of 200 metres in all directions of the protected site will be regulated.

No construction will also be allowed on these areas, "except in accordance and permitted by extent of the heritage bylaws" which will have to be approved by the central government which might extend it more than 200 metres.

The bill recommends the constitution of National Monument Authority, an expert committee which will look after conservation of heritage.