New Delhi: The Lok Sabha on Monday passed a Bill
providing for stringent punishment for desecration of
archeological monuments and creation of a separate authority
to classify heritage structures and approve large scale public
projects in regulated areas.
"The National Monument Authority will comprise
archeological and heritage experts... and will work without any
interference from judiciary or bureaucracy," said Law Minister
Veerappa Moily while piloting the Ancient Monuments and
Archeological Sites and Remain (Amendment and Validation)
Bill, 2010.
The Bill, passed by voice vote, seeks to replace an
Ordinance promulgated in January this year.
The government, Moily said, had to come out with an
Ordinance as the orders of different High Courts would have
brought to a halt several important projects, including those
associated with the Commonwealth Games and Metro rails in
Delhi and Bangalore.
He said as per the Bill, no construction will be allowed
in the regulated area, which will be 200 meters in all
directions from the prohibited area surrounding the protected
monuments.
The Bill also empowers the National Authority to approve
large scale development projects to be set up in regulated
areas.
PTI
