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HomeIndiaDelhi’s Nicholson memorial, UP’s Treasury Building tablet among 18 protected sites delisted...

Delhi’s Nicholson memorial, UP’s Treasury Building tablet among 18 protected sites delisted by govt

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New Delhi, Jul 21 (PTI) A memorial to British officer John Nicholson in Delhi, two Kos Minars in Haryana, and a tablet on the old Treasury Building in Varanasi are among the 18 monuments recently delisted from the list of protected sites as they had “ceased” to be of national importance, the government informed Parliament on Monday.

Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in the Lok Sabha was asked whether the government has any plan to delist certain monuments from the list of Archaeological Survey of India’s protected spots.

“At present, there is no such proposal with Archaeological Survey of India (ASI),” he said in a written response to the query.

Shekhawat was also asked whether it is a fact that many monuments have been “delisted” by the ASI recently, if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor; and the alternative arrangements being made for upkeep of such monuments.

“Recently the Centre has delisted 18 monuments from the list of Protected Monuments as they were found to have ceased to be of national importance,” he said.

In his written response, the Union minister also shared the list of these 18 sites. However, it was not mentioned when exactly were these sites delisted.

The tabulated list includes ‘Nicholson Statue and its platform, and the surrounding gardens, paths and enclosure wall’ in Delhi, Gunner Burkill’s Tomb at Rangoon in Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh, Inscription in the fort of Bachhaun in Madhya Pradesh’s Satna, remains of three small Linga temples to the north of the villagem circa 1000 AD in UP’s Mirzapur; Kos Minar No. 13 in Gurugram and another Kos Minar at Karnal in Haryana; and a tablet on the Treasury Building in Varanasi.

The memorial to Nicholson, which included an imposing statue and a garden around it, was built during the British rule. After Independence, the statue was removed from the site. He had also led British forces to quell the 1857 Mutiny and died in action in Delhi where he is buried in a cemetery.

As per Seventh Schedule of the Constitution, protection and preservation of monuments other than those declared as monument of national importance is a state subject. Therefore, the responsibility for maintenance of such monuments rests with the respective state governments, Shekhawat said.

“A parliamentary committee has recommended that the government should consider constituting an independent panel to revisit and reform the criteria for delisting monuments. However, at present there is no such proposal to make amendment to that effect in Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act , 1958,” he added.

In a separate query, the minister was asked the number of national monuments identified and listed under the AMASR Act, 1958 in Uttara Kannada district in Karnataka; and whether the government has “received any request” from a member of Parliament or the Karnataka government for “denotification of three sites viz. Kumta, Hosur, Bedkeni from the said list”.

There are 32 monuments and archaeological sites and remains declared as of national importance in district of Uttara Kannada, Shekhawat said.

“A request has been received from Vishweshwar Hegde Kegeri, Hon’ble member of Parliament, for denotification of three monuments namely: The figure of a tiger opposite the English school at Kumta, carved stones near the temple of the Gram at Hosur, and stones (viragals) at Bedkeni. Notification/Denotification of monuments from the list of centrally protected monuments is a continuous process based on the merits of the case,” he added. PTI KND KVK KVK KVK

This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.

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