414 protected monuments and areas witnessed encroachments; government says appropriate action taken in such cases

A total of 3,688 ancient monuments and archaeological sites have been declared as monuments of national importance in the country and 414 of these have reported encroachments, the government told the Rajya Sabha earlier this week. Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said in a written reply that the Government has taken cognisance of these encroachments. Under the provisions of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958 (AMASR Act, 1958), protection of a monument does not mandatorily require acquisition or ownership of the land on which the monument is situated. The primary objective…