New Delhi: The Union government has been considering empowering local bodies to provide security to historical monuments, especially to those that are not under the list of centrally protected monuments. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism, and Culture has recently recommended to the Union Ministry of Culture that provisions to empower the local bodies for the protection of historical monuments and to make them accountable may be incorporated in the amendment of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act.
The Union ministry of Culture has accepted the recommendation of the committee for the implementation. The committee said that no proposal exists at present with ASI for empowering local bodies to provide security guards to the unprotected monuments. The committee stated that given their proximity and cultural ties with local monuments, local bodies are best suited to look after the protection of historical monuments especially those which are not under the list of Centrally Protected Monuments (CPMs). “Empowering local bodies to provide security guards at such monuments for their protection can go a long way in ensuring that these monuments are preserved in their present state for generations to come,” the committee said. It recommended that provisions to empower local bodies for the protection of historical monuments and to make them accountable may be incorporated in the amendment of the AMASR Act.
The committee had also recommended formation of the State Level Co-ordination Committees for coordination between the Ministry of Culture and respective state governments for resolving important issues such as the removal of encroachment of monuments. The ministry informed the committee that 11 states including Odisha have formed such committees.