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ASI points out administratiion`s neglect of historic Sher Shah Tomb
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has sought the Bihar Government`s intervention in the illegal construction inside the historic Sher Shah`s tomb at Sasaram in central Bihar.
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has sought the Bihar Government's intervention in the illegal construction inside the historic Sher Shah's tomb at Sasaram in central Bihar.
The ASI, which stopped the unauthorised construction inside the national monument on October seven, took up the issue with State Chief Secretary V S Dubey, saying it concerned the cultural heritage of not only Bihar, but the whole country.
Seeking the state government's intervention, the ASI warned that anti-social elements working under the garb of religious groups with ulterior motives were defacing the tomb. Official sources said that the tomb, situated in the middle of a pond, is surrounded by an Idgah on one side, and a temple located nearby had the potential to ignite communal trouble.
Though the ASI's neglect of the tomb has resulted in the mushrooming of several illegal constructions on the sprawling 52-acre land over the past few years, Mr Muhammed K.K, superintending archaeologist of the Patna unit of ASI, regretted that the local administration reacted to the situation only after his department brought the matter to its notice. The tomb, which is of immense historic interest, has been faced with the problem of encroachers since 1965. The beautification and development programmes of the tomb have been hanging fire for a long time due to the rampant construction work.
The illegal construction activity inside the tomb witnessed a boom after Sasaram became a district headquarters of Rohtas in 1972. According to sources, the encroachers even erected palatial buildings on the vacant land.
Source said work on constructing the temple began on the site even as the local administration and the archaeology department were busy in shifting the responsibility of its clearance onto the other.
They alleged that the indifferent attitude of ASI and the local administration only encouraged the violation of ASI's guidelines drafted to protect monuments from encroachment. The guidelines clearly stipulate that no construction can be allowed within a 100-metre radius of a historical monument and forbids construction of buildings beyond a certain height in the radius of 200 metres. Finding itself ineffective in enforcing its own guidelines, ASI blamed the local administration for its ''uncooperative'' attitude which it said had allowed the illegal construction.
The construction of the upper floor of the temple was, however, stopped by the timely intervention of the Patna circle of ASI and the state government. Rohtas district Magistrate A W Anjum managed to stop the construction by issuing a notice to the priest of the temple through the police station concerned on October seven. The builders have been charged with offences under different sections of the Indian penal code and the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958.
Bureau Report
The ASI, which stopped the unauthorised construction inside the national monument on October seven, took up the issue with State Chief Secretary V S Dubey, saying it concerned the cultural heritage of not only Bihar, but the whole country.
Seeking the state government's intervention, the ASI warned that anti-social elements working under the garb of religious groups with ulterior motives were defacing the tomb. Official sources said that the tomb, situated in the middle of a pond, is surrounded by an Idgah on one side, and a temple located nearby had the potential to ignite communal trouble.
Though the ASI's neglect of the tomb has resulted in the mushrooming of several illegal constructions on the sprawling 52-acre land over the past few years, Mr Muhammed K.K, superintending archaeologist of the Patna unit of ASI, regretted that the local administration reacted to the situation only after his department brought the matter to its notice. The tomb, which is of immense historic interest, has been faced with the problem of encroachers since 1965. The beautification and development programmes of the tomb have been hanging fire for a long time due to the rampant construction work.
The illegal construction activity inside the tomb witnessed a boom after Sasaram became a district headquarters of Rohtas in 1972. According to sources, the encroachers even erected palatial buildings on the vacant land.
Source said work on constructing the temple began on the site even as the local administration and the archaeology department were busy in shifting the responsibility of its clearance onto the other.
They alleged that the indifferent attitude of ASI and the local administration only encouraged the violation of ASI's guidelines drafted to protect monuments from encroachment. The guidelines clearly stipulate that no construction can be allowed within a 100-metre radius of a historical monument and forbids construction of buildings beyond a certain height in the radius of 200 metres. Finding itself ineffective in enforcing its own guidelines, ASI blamed the local administration for its ''uncooperative'' attitude which it said had allowed the illegal construction.
The construction of the upper floor of the temple was, however, stopped by the timely intervention of the Patna circle of ASI and the state government. Rohtas district Magistrate A W Anjum managed to stop the construction by issuing a notice to the priest of the temple through the police station concerned on October seven. The builders have been charged with offences under different sections of the Indian penal code and the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958.
Bureau Report