Little-known monuments get the same protection as the famous ones, MPs ask ASI to rationalise the list of protected structures

A small brick-walled enclosure tucked away in one corner of Uttara Kannada district housing the graves of two little known British engineers get the same level of protection from the Archaeological Survey of India as some of India’s most famous monuments, a panel of lawmakers reported on Thursday, asking the ASI to carefully review its list of centrally protected monuments.

The enclosure at Kumta has the graves of public works department engineer John Albert Cope (died in 1880) and Henry Gassen (died 1877) who worked for a cotton ginning company.

“The structure had no architectural value, and the individuals were of no historical significance. Yet, they are supposed to get the same level of protection as the country’s most cherished monuments,” the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture said in its report tabled in the House.

While there are 3,691 centrally protected monuments, the lawmakers found the list included a large number of minor monuments with no national significance, including the one in Karnataka. There are 75 graves of colonial era soldiers or officials of no notable importance.

At least a quarter of the ASI’s list of centrally protected monuments needed revision, the Committee noted, observing that the list should be rationalised and categorised on the basis of their “national significance, unique architectural value and specific heritage content.”

The Parliamentarians asked the ASI to also review other provisions such as declaring a radius of 100 mt from a monument as a prohibited area and 300 mt as a regulated area around all ASI protected structures and sites.

While this provision was introduced in 2010 to regulate mining and construction near an ASI protected monument, the report said there were criticisms against such a clause because in some cases an entire village fell within the 300 m radius making it difficult for the villagers to carry out the necessary repair work for their household.

“The rules apply identically to the iconic Ajanta and Ellora monuments as much as to Kosh Minars (ancient distance marking pillars), unknown cemeteries and tombs. Rationalisation of the list of national monuments by way of deletion of some of the Kosh Minars may also be considered,” the MPs suggested.

The lawmakers recommended incorporating protection measures to save the ASI monuments from the impacts of climate change. “This may involve modifying conservation methods to withstand rapidly changing environmental requirements,” the report noted.