MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR CULTURE AND MINISTER OF STATE FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(DR. MAHESH SHARMA)
(a) No, Madam. However, the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958 and Rules, 1959 contain provisions to prevent urban sprawl and encroachment/illegal construction in and around areas adjacent to the monuments/sites of national importance.
(b) There are 3691 monuments/sites of National importance being looked after by Archaeological Survey of India. Abstract is at Annexure-I. The encroachment of number of centrally protected monuments/sites (State/UT-wise) is at Annexure-II.
(c) The matter concerning encroachments in the protected monuments and protected areas are handled as per the provisions contained in the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958 and Rules, 1959 framed thereunder. Superintending Archaeologists are also authorised to issue show cause notices under the provisions of the Act followed by a direction to the District Collector/Magistrate by Central Government to remove such encroachment under section 19 (2) of the Act and Rule 38 (2). In order to contain the encroachments and removing them, the Superintending Archaeologist in charge of the Circles have been vested with the powers of Estate Officers to issue eviction notices/orders to the encroachers under Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971. To provide strict vigil in addition to the regular watch and ward staff, private security personnel, State police guards and CISF have also been deployed for the safety and security of selected monuments.
(d)&(e) Providing basic facilities/amenities (e.g. drinking water, toilet blocks, facilities for physically challenged, pathways, cultural notice boards/signage, vehicle parking, cloak rooms, etc.) to tourists visiting centrally protected monuments and sites are the regular activities which Archaeological Survey of India undertakes. Improvement and upgradation of these public facilities/amenities is a continuous process. Basic public facilities are available at all World Heritage Sites and ASI’s ticketed monuments, as also at majority of those protected monuments that are visited by a large numbers of tourists. Further, Archaeological Survey of India has identified 100 monuments as “Adarsh Smarak” for upgradation of existing facilities/amenities as well as advance facilities like Wi-Fi, cafeteria, interpretation centre, brail signage, etc. on the basis of actual requirement and feasibility on case to case basis. There is no proposal to provide accommodation to tourist.
ANNEXURE -I
ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (b) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3115 FOR 31.12.2018
ABSTRACT OF NUMBER OF CENTRALLY PROTECTED MONUMENTS/ SITES UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA IN THE COUNTRY
Sl.No. Name of State Nos. of Monuments
1. Andhra Pradesh 129
2. Arunachal Pradesh 03
3. Assam 55
4. Bihar 70
5. Chhattisgarh 47
6. Daman & Diu (U. T.) 12
7. Goa 21
8. Gujarat 203
9. Haryana 91
10. Himachal Pradesh 40
11. Jammu & Kashmir 69
12. Jharkhand 13
13. Karnataka 506
14. Kerala 28
15. Madhya Pradesh 292
16. Maharashtra 286
17. Manipur 01
18. Meghalaya 08
19. Mizoram 01
20. Nagaland 04
21. N.C.T. Delhi 174
22. Odisha 80
23. Puducherry (U.T.) 07
24. Punjab 33
25. Rajasthan 163
26. Sikkim 03
27. Telangana 08
28. Tamil Nadu 413
29. Tripura 08
30. Uttar Pradesh 745
31. Uttarakhand 42
32. West Bengal 136
TOTAL 3691
ANNEXURE-II
ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (b) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3115 FOR 31.12.2018
NUMBER OF CENTRALLY PROTECTED MONUMENTS/SITES (STATE/UT-WISE) WHICH ARE ENCROACHED UPON
Sl. No. Name of State / UT Number of Centrally protected monuments/sites under encroachments
1. Assam 6
2. Bihar 6
3. Chhattisgarh 7
4. Delhi 11
5. Himachal Pradesh 3
6. Haryana 7
7. Karnataka 48
8. Madhya Pradesh 2
9. Maharashtra 46
10. Odisha 6
11. Punjab 7
12. Tamil Nadu 74
13. Rajasthan 22
14. Uttar Pradesh 75
15. West Bengal 1
Total: 321
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