AgenciesNew Delhi: The culture ministry is working on amending the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act (or Amasr Act) to make it more "flexible and friendly", culture minister G Kishan Reddy said on Tuesday. Last amended in 2010, the Amasr Act, 1958, as it stands today declares the 100-metre radius of protected monuments as "prohibited areas". Subsequently, the next 300-metre radius became "regulated areas".
The ministry said officials believe this blanket ban stalls many developmental projects and is not logical. Critical for the preservation of ancient and historical monuments and archaeological sites and remains of national importance, the Act also looks at regulation of archaeological excavations. The minister said the proposed amendments will be sent to a sub committee soon for further deliberations.
While the minister did not go into the details of what the amendments are, ministry officials said the proposed amendment would change the limitations of the prohibited area. There will be expert committees that would, on a "case by case" basis, decide the prohibited area around a particular monument, ensuring that some iconic monuments have more protected areas than the others.
The changes are being brought in to give more power to the ASI to address issues of encroachment by giving it enforcement powers as included in the Indian Forest Act.
The minister said with India hosting the G-20 next year, over 100 meetings will be held near ASI protected sites or in heritage places to give a feel of India to the visiting dignitaries.
Culture ministry officials said there have been no deliberations over the Places of Worship Act, 1991, that has been in news ever since Hindu groups have demanded the right to worship in sites such as the Gyanvapi mosque and Shahi Idgah mosque, both of which are not ASI protected monuments. "We are treading very carefully on this, as anything we do might be construed as controversial," a senior official said.
The ministry said officials believe this blanket ban stalls many developmental projects and is not logical. Critical for the preservation of ancient and historical monuments and archaeological sites and remains of national importance, the Act also looks at regulation of archaeological excavations. The minister said the proposed amendments will be sent to a sub committee soon for further deliberations.
While the minister did not go into the details of what the amendments are, ministry officials said the proposed amendment would change the limitations of the prohibited area. There will be expert committees that would, on a "case by case" basis, decide the prohibited area around a particular monument, ensuring that some iconic monuments have more protected areas than the others.
The changes are being brought in to give more power to the ASI to address issues of encroachment by giving it enforcement powers as included in the Indian Forest Act.
The minister said with India hosting the G-20 next year, over 100 meetings will be held near ASI protected sites or in heritage places to give a feel of India to the visiting dignitaries.
Culture ministry officials said there have been no deliberations over the Places of Worship Act, 1991, that has been in news ever since Hindu groups have demanded the right to worship in sites such as the Gyanvapi mosque and Shahi Idgah mosque, both of which are not ASI protected monuments. "We are treading very carefully on this, as anything we do might be construed as controversial," a senior official said.
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