Monuments as important as environment: Centre to states

Armed with a landmark legislation that was cleared by Parliament last month,the Centre is now urging all state governments to put protection and conservation of historical and cultural monuments top on their priority list and accord it the same importance as,say,environmental concerns.

The Parliament last month amended a 1958 law Ancient Monuments and Archeological Sites and Remains Act to provide for a complete ban on new construction within 100 metres of any protected monument. A further 100-m zone would be a regulated area where any new construction would have to be cleared by competent authorities. The new law also provides for the establishment of a National Monuments Authority that will be empowered to grade and classify monuments and suggest measures to protect and conserve them. The Centre last week called a meeting of all state governments to discuss the issues relating to a strict implementation of the new law.

This law would ensure that conservation of heritage is taken as seriously as concerns about environment, Culture Secretary Jawhar Sircar said. The law,if applied retrospectively,could make many of the Commonwealth Games projects in Delhi completely illegal. But an exception for them had already been made through an ordinance in January this year. Violation would invite tough penalties of imprisonment up to two years,or fines up to Rs 1 lakh or both. More severe penalties are in store for officials who fail to implement the law.