Danish Ishmail / Reuters
Representative image. Sikander Shah,70, a Kashmiri man, sits at the entrance of his house inside the ruins of Dara Shikuh monument in Srinagar March 8, 2007. Shah and his wife arrived in the ruins of the 440 year-old monument, which was built by Mughal prince Dara Shikuh, about 38 years ago and now live there with their four children and two grandchildren, the couple said. Picture taken March 8, 2007. REUTERS/Danish Ismail
NEW DELHI -- Twenty-four monuments in India "are reported untraceable" because of encroachments and rapid urbanisation, according to Union minister of culture Mahesh Sharma.
He was responding to a question at the Lok Sabha on Monday. According to the ministry, 11 of these untraceable monuments are in Uttar Pradesh. These include the ruins of three small linga temples from 1000 AD, a Buddhist ruin in Varanasi, and several tombs and cemeteries in Lucknow.
Several other monuments in Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra are also reported untraceable. These include temples, minars, tombs and forts.
According to the minister, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) can issue show cause notices against encroachers under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act 1958 and Rules 1959. The district collectors and magistrates can order removal of such encroachments under central law.
Despite these provisions, monuments have continued to "disappear". The minister said that approximately ₹774.8 crores in the last three years for the conservation and protection of monuments under ASI.
Here's a complete list of the monuments that are untraceable:
Assam
1. Guns of Emperor Sher Shah, Sadia, Tinsukia
Arunachal Pradesh
2. The Ruins of Copper Temple,Paya, Lohit
Haryana
3. Kos Minar, Mujesar, Faridabad
4. Kos Minar, Shahabad, Kurukshetra
Uttarakhand
5. Kutumbari Temple, Dwarahat, Almora
Delhi
6. Bara Khamba Cemetery, Delhi
7. Inchla Wali Gumti, Mubarakpur Kotla
Madhya Pradesh
8. Rock Inscription, Satna
Maharashtra
9. Old European Tomb, Pune
10. One Buruj, Agarkot
Rajasthan
11. Inscription in Fort, Nagar, Tonk
12. 12th Century Temple, Baran
Uttar Pradesh
13. Ruins of three small linga temple circle 1000 AD, Ahugi Mirzapur
14. Three sites with megaliths on the western and north eastern toes of the hill, Chandauli
15. Tablet on treasury building, Varanasi
16. Telia Nala Buddhist ruins, Varanasi
17. A Banyan grove containing traces of ancient building, Amavey, Ballia
18. Closed Cemetery, Katra Naka, Banda
19. Gunner Burkill's Tomb, Mehroni, Lalitpur
20. Three Tomb, Lucknow-Faizabad Road, Lucknow
21. Cemeteries at miles 6 and 7, Jahraila Road, Lucknow
22. Cemetery at Gaughat, Lucknow
23. Large ruined site called Sandi-Khera, Pali, Shahabad, Hardoi
West Bengal
24. Ruins of fort, Bamanpukur, Nadia
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