Lok Sabha Question No. 3115 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-12-31
Subject: Encroachment of Monuments
Ministry: CULTURE
Asked by: KAPIL MORESHWAR PATIL, KALIKESH NARAYAN SINGH DEO, RAJESHBHAI NARANBHAI CHUDASAMA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3115 TO BE ANSWERED ON 31.12.2018

## ENCROACHMENT OF MONUMENTS

- +3115. SHRI KAPIL MORESHWAR PATIL: SHRI KALIKESH N. SINGH DEO: SHRI RAJESHBHAI CHUDASAMA:

Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has adopted any method to prevent urban sprawl and encroachment in and around areas adjacent to the heritage sites in the country and  damage  caused  to  them  due  to  illegal  construction  and  if  so,  the  details thereof;
- (b) the details of monuments acquired by Archaeological Survey of India(ASI) along with the details of monuments encroached upon;
- (c) the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  prevent  encroachment  and  illegal construction  in  and  around  these  sites/monuments  along  with  the  details  of security arrangements put in place all such sites/monuments;
- (d) whether all the heritage sites and monuments under ASI are well equipped with basic facilities including accommodation and refreshment facilities for tourists; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof and if not, the steps taken by planning of ASI to provide these facilities to tourists including refreshment and accommodation?

## ANSWER

## 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 |