Encroachments have been reported at 321 monuments and ancient sites across States since 2014, the Union Culture Ministry informed the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.
In response to a question by Biju Janata Dal MP Amar Patnaik, Culture Minister Prahlad Singh Patel provided a list of encroached monuments and sites. “However, this list is being updated and information has been called from the field offices,” he added.
Out of 321 monuments and ancient sites listed, 75 were located in Uttar Pradesh, 74 in Tamil Nadu, 48 in Karnataka and 46 in Maharashtra. Among the monuments where encroachments had been seen were Sher Shah Suri’s tomb in Bihar’s Sasaram; Tughlaqabad Fort and Purana Qila in Delhi, four ancient mounds at the Indus Valley site of Rakhigarhi in Haryana; Ellora Caves in Maharashtra; Sun Temple in Konark, Odisha; the ruined Palace of Maharana Pratap in Rajasthan; and Amjad Ali Shah’s Mausoleum in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.
In addition, the Minister said: “There are 89 cases pending in various courts regarding encroachment-related matters.”
He said encroachments had been partially removed from seven sites.
“On report of an encroachment, a police complaint is filed. Show-cause notice will be issued to defaulter for removal of the said encroachment and if it is not removed, demolition order is issued to the Collector for removal of the said encroachment. Further, recourse to court of law is availed of as a last resort. The Archaeological Survey of India is dependent on State governments/administration for removal of encroachments,” the Minister said.
