Chatterjee takes over ASI, finds hands full

Additional Secretary, Culture, Gauri Chatterjee took over as director general of the Archeological Survey of India even as Kasturi Gupta Men...

Additional Secretary, Culture, Gauri Chatterjee took over as director general of the Archeological Survey of India even as Kasturi Gupta Menon who had held charge for over a year was shifted to the Ministry of Textiles on Monday.

Chatterjee, as the new ASI chief, will have to carry out the Lucknow-bench of the Allahabad High Court orders to carry out the excavation of the disputed site at Ayodhya. The court orders have to be carried out in a week’s time.

This 1971-batch Bengal cadre officer’s arrival in ASI comes not only at a time when the Ayodhya issue has come to occupy centrestage, her arrival coincides with a review of the functioning of the ASI currently underway.

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It was two years ago that a panel was constituted to review the functioning of the ASI to professionalise the place and suggest changes. Among the many suggestions in the six-volume copious report, one change that was recommended was to have a professional archaeologist at the helm of affairs.

The report it is learnt, is under consideration in the PMO. Jagmohan too has favoured a professional archaeologist to head the ASI. The ASI’s service rules are also currently being reviewed. ‘‘Plans are also to review the functioning of ASI at district levels to induct professionals into the service along the pattern of Indian Revenue Service,’’ sources said.

Vikas International, the company which had conducted a ground penetrating radar (GPR) survey of the site, has been asked to provide technical assistance to the ASI.

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