News Analysis India

Tag: Archaeological Survey of India

  • Silver coins discovered at Bengal village, dwellers go on looting spree

    Express News Service

    KOLKATA:  Villagers in Bindol in North Dinajpur in West Bengal got lucky on Friday when a bowl stashed with silver coins from the mid-19th century surfaced from a roadside ditch where some digging works were going on to construct a small bridge.

    Labourers while digging a roadside ditch discovered a bowl stashed with silver coins from the mid-19th century. As the news of the bowl spread like wildfire, hundreds of locals rushed and looted the coins. Only a few coins could be recovered by the local police when they reached the spot.

    According to police, the incident took place at Bindol village. ‘’Many development works are being carried out before the upcoming panchayat elections. At Bindol, a small bridge was being constructed and for this labourers were digging the roadside ditch to collect additional soil required for the work,’’ said an officer of a local police station.

    As the workers continued for two hours and kept digging the ditch, they discovered a sealed bowl. ‘’They opened it up to be surprised that the container was full of silver coins with years of the 19th century inscribed on it. The workers started shouting in joy which drew the attention of others, both working on the project and people passing by,’’ said the officer.

    As the news spread fast, residents from Bindol village rushed to the spot within minutes and started collecting the coins as much as possible. ’We were informed late. The place is 20-minute drive from the police station. When we arrived there, the villagers left after looting the coins. We searched the place and collected three coins where 1816, 1862 and 1877 were inscribed as years,’’ said the officer.

    The police said the coins would be sent to the Archaeological Survey of India to assess the antique value of the coins. Police also said they were conducting a probe into the looting. 

    Got information late, claims the policeThe police said they were informed late. “When we arrived there, the villagers left after looting the coins. We searched the place and collected three coins where 1816, 1862 and 1877 years were inscribed,’’ said an officer. The police said the coins would be sent to the Archaeological Survey of India to assess the antique value. They said they will conduct a probe into the looting.

    KOLKATA:  Villagers in Bindol in North Dinajpur in West Bengal got lucky on Friday when a bowl stashed with silver coins from the mid-19th century surfaced from a roadside ditch where some digging works were going on to construct a small bridge.

    Labourers while digging a roadside ditch discovered a bowl stashed with silver coins from the mid-19th century. As the news of the bowl spread like wildfire, hundreds of locals rushed and looted the coins. Only a few coins could be recovered by the local police when they reached the spot.

    According to police, the incident took place at Bindol village. ‘’Many development works are being carried out before the upcoming panchayat elections. At Bindol, a small bridge was being constructed and for this labourers were digging the roadside ditch to collect additional soil required for the work,’’ said an officer of a local police station.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    As the workers continued for two hours and kept digging the ditch, they discovered a sealed bowl. ‘’They opened it up to be surprised that the container was full of silver coins with years of the 19th century inscribed on it. The workers started shouting in joy which drew the attention of others, both working on the project and people passing by,’’ said the officer.

    As the news spread fast, residents from Bindol village rushed to the spot within minutes and started collecting the coins as much as possible. ’We were informed late. The place is 20-minute drive from the police station. When we arrived there, the villagers left after looting the coins. We searched the place and collected three coins where 1816, 1862 and 1877 were inscribed as years,’’ said the officer.

    The police said the coins would be sent to the Archaeological Survey of India to assess the antique value of the coins. Police also said they were conducting a probe into the looting. 

    Got information late, claims the police
    The police said they were informed late. “When we arrived there, the villagers left after looting the coins. We searched the place and collected three coins where 1816, 1862 and 1877 years were inscribed,’’ said an officer. The police said the coins would be sent to the Archaeological Survey of India to assess the antique value. They said they will conduct a probe into the looting.

  • A day after tax notice on Taj & Agra Fort, ASI says ‘not liable to pay’

    By Express News Service

    LUCKNOW:  In a first, the Agra Municipal Corporation (AMC) has issued a notice to Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) asking it to pay property tax worth Rs 1.47 lakh and a water bill worth Rs 1.9 crore for the monument of love, the iconic Taj Mahal. A period of 15 days has been given to ASI to pay the bills, failing which the property would be “attached”. However, the ASI claimed that the notice issued by the AMC seemed to be a mistake.

    The ASI superintending archaeologist for Agra circle, Dr Raj Kumar Patel confirmed the notices saying that three notices were received by ASI so far — two for the Taj Mahal and Rs 1.47 lakh as property tax for the Agra Fort. Patel said that the notices seemed to have been sent by mistake and the ASI had replied to AMC notices. 

    “Property tax is not applicable on monuments. We are also not liable to pay taxes for water as there is no commercial use. Water is used to maintain greenery within the premises. Notices related to water and property tax for the Taj Mahal have been received for the first time,” said Patel. The notices were issued on November 25.

    Meanwhile, civic authorities claimed that the notice was served for property and water tax pending against the ticket window and residential wing at eastern gate of the Taj Mahal and not the monument itself. Assistant municipal commissioner and in-charge of the Tajganj zone, Sarita Singh, said that the matter was being investigated. “A private company has been tasked to realize tax on the basis of a Geographic Information Survey (GIS).”

    LUCKNOW:  In a first, the Agra Municipal Corporation (AMC) has issued a notice to Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) asking it to pay property tax worth Rs 1.47 lakh and a water bill worth Rs 1.9 crore for the monument of love, the iconic Taj Mahal. A period of 15 days has been given to ASI to pay the bills, failing which the property would be “attached”. However, the ASI claimed that the notice issued by the AMC seemed to be a mistake.

    The ASI superintending archaeologist for Agra circle, Dr Raj Kumar Patel confirmed the notices saying that three notices were received by ASI so far — two for the Taj Mahal and Rs 1.47 lakh as property tax for the Agra Fort. Patel said that the notices seemed to have been sent by mistake and the ASI had replied to AMC notices. 

    “Property tax is not applicable on monuments. We are also not liable to pay taxes for water as there is no commercial use. Water is used to maintain greenery within the premises. Notices related to water and property tax for the Taj Mahal have been received for the first time,” said Patel. The notices were issued on November 25.

    Meanwhile, civic authorities claimed that the notice was served for property and water tax pending against the ticket window and residential wing at eastern gate of the Taj Mahal and not the monument itself. Assistant municipal commissioner and in-charge of the Tajganj zone, Sarita Singh, said that the matter was being investigated. “A private company has been tasked to realize tax on the basis of a Geographic Information Survey (GIS).”

  • 230kg gold sheets add sheen to Kedarnath sanctum  

    Express News Service

    KEDARNATH: The next time you visit Kedarnath Dham, you’d discover an additional gilded sheen to the majesty of the 11th Jyotirlinga temple. Two Archaeological Survey of India officials along with engineers of IIT Roorkee is quietly supervising a layer of gold being added to decorate the sanctum.

    Apart from the walls, the sanctum, including Jaleri (a small corridor leading up to the Shivling) and the ceiling, has got 550 layers of gold sheets weighing 230 kg. A part of the work was completed on Wednesday, Badri Kedar Temple Committee officials told this daily.

    “On behalf of the Government of India, a six-member team led by Janvij Sharma, Additional Director General, ASI, made a detailed inspection of the temple premises last week,” Committee chairman Ajayendra Ajay said.

    The work of putting a layer of gold in the sanctum of the temple was started after a report of experts,” he added.“A team of Central Building Research Institute Roorkee and ASI have already inspected the sanctum,” he said.

    “The decoration of the sanctum is almost complete with 19 labourers working for the last three days in the presence of experts. A day after Bhai Dooj (Oct 26), the portals of Kedarnath Dham will be closed for the winter,” said Ajay.

    The Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee has done the work in collaboration with a donor (name not revealed) from Maharashtra. Before the gold plating, silver layers were removed in the presence of temple committee officials. These silver shavings have been preserved in the temple store, sources said.

    Copper sheets were installed to measure the actual size to make 550 gold sheets on the walls of the sanctum. Finally, the raised copper sheets were removed and taken back to Maharashtra for the final manufacture of gold sheets.

    These sheets were brought from Delhi a week ago in a special vehicle. In September last year, silver layers were removed to make the sanctum covered by gold-plated sheets. The portals of Shri Kedarnath Dham will be closed for winter at 8.30 am on Thursday. The Panchmukhi Doli of Lord Kedarnath will depart for winter abode at Shri Omkareshwar Temple Ukhimath.

    According to experts associated with the temple committee, the holy Kedarnath temple was built by Adi Shankaracharya in the 8th century. Shankaracharya rebuilt the place where the Pandavas of Mahabharata fame built the Shiva temple. Adi Shankaracharya’s samadhi site was damaged in the previous landslide. It has also been restored.

    KEDARNATH: The next time you visit Kedarnath Dham, you’d discover an additional gilded sheen to the majesty of the 11th Jyotirlinga temple. Two Archaeological Survey of India officials along with engineers of IIT Roorkee is quietly supervising a layer of gold being added to decorate the sanctum.

    Apart from the walls, the sanctum, including Jaleri (a small corridor leading up to the Shivling) and the ceiling, has got 550 layers of gold sheets weighing 230 kg. A part of the work was completed on Wednesday, Badri Kedar Temple Committee officials told this daily.

    “On behalf of the Government of India, a six-member team led by Janvij Sharma, Additional Director General, ASI, made a detailed inspection of the temple premises last week,” Committee chairman Ajayendra Ajay said.

    The work of putting a layer of gold in the sanctum of the temple was started after a report of experts,” he added.“A team of Central Building Research Institute Roorkee and ASI have already inspected the sanctum,” he said.

    “The decoration of the sanctum is almost complete with 19 labourers working for the last three days in the presence of experts. A day after Bhai Dooj (Oct 26), the portals of Kedarnath Dham will be closed for the winter,” said Ajay.

    The Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee has done the work in collaboration with a donor (name not revealed) from Maharashtra. Before the gold plating, silver layers were removed in the presence of temple committee officials. These silver shavings have been preserved in the temple store, sources said.

    Copper sheets were installed to measure the actual size to make 550 gold sheets on the walls of the sanctum. Finally, the raised copper sheets were removed and taken back to Maharashtra for the final manufacture of gold sheets.

    These sheets were brought from Delhi a week ago in a special vehicle. In September last year, silver layers were removed to make the sanctum covered by gold-plated sheets. The portals of Shri Kedarnath Dham will be closed for winter at 8.30 am on Thursday. The Panchmukhi Doli of Lord Kedarnath will depart for winter abode at Shri Omkareshwar Temple Ukhimath.

    According to experts associated with the temple committee, the holy Kedarnath temple was built by Adi Shankaracharya in the 8th century. Shankaracharya rebuilt the place where the Pandavas of Mahabharata fame built the Shiva temple. Adi Shankaracharya’s samadhi site was damaged in the previous landslide. It has also been restored.

  • Supreme Court rejects PIL seeking to open Taj’s 22 rooms

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday junked a plea filed by a BJP leader seeking to open 22 rooms on the Taj Mahal premises to check the presence of Hindu idols, terming it ‘publicity interest litigation’. 

    A bench of justices M R Shah and M M Sundresh refused to interfere with the Allahabad High Court’s May 12 order dismissing the plea filed by Rajnish Singh, the media in-charge of the BJP’s Ayodhya unit. Singh argued there is no scientific evidence to support the theory that Taj Mahal was built by Emperor Shahjahan. The petitioner also prayed that a fact-finding committee be set up to study and publish the monument’s ‘real history. 

    Singh had sought a directive from the court to the Archaeological Survey of India to open the locks of the upper and lower part of the monument and to remove the walls that were blocking the rooms. However, the high court said the issues were not judicially determinable.

    It also pulled up the petitioner’s lawyer for filing the Public Interest Litigation in a “casual” manner and said it could not pass an order under Article 226 in the matter. Singh then moved the Supreme Court, which has now rejected the petition. 

    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday junked a plea filed by a BJP leader seeking to open 22 rooms on the Taj Mahal premises to check the presence of Hindu idols, terming it ‘publicity interest litigation’. 

    A bench of justices M R Shah and M M Sundresh refused to interfere with the Allahabad High Court’s May 12 order dismissing the plea filed by Rajnish Singh, the media in-charge of the BJP’s Ayodhya unit. Singh argued there is no scientific evidence to support the theory that Taj Mahal was built by Emperor Shahjahan. The petitioner also prayed that a fact-finding committee be set up to study and publish the monument’s ‘real history. 

    Singh had sought a directive from the court to the Archaeological Survey of India to open the locks of the upper and lower part of the monument and to remove the walls that were blocking the rooms. 
    However, the high court said the issues were not judicially determinable.

    It also pulled up the petitioner’s lawyer for filing the Public Interest Litigation in a “casual” manner and said it could not pass an order under Article 226 in the matter. Singh then moved the Supreme Court, which has now rejected the petition. 

  • Fatehpur Sikri to Gandhi’s birthplace: Sites where ASI will hoist tricolour on Independence Day

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: From Lucknow’s historic Residency, place of key events during the 1857 Sepoy Mutiny, to Mahatma Gandhi’s birthplace in Porbander, Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is gearing up to hoist the national flag at the sites of 150 of its monuments on Independence Day, officials said on Saturday.

    Besides, logistical work is also being done for illumination of 150 monuments in a tricolour theme, which is expected to start in a few days.

    “Our national flag would be hoisted at ASI sites spanning the length and breadth of the country in the true spirit of India’s diversity and the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.

    They will be hoisted at Fatehpur Sikri and Agra Fort in our Agra Circle.

    In Delhi, the tricolour will flutter high at the ruins of Kotla Feroz Shah and Purana Qila,” a senior official told PTI.

    Taj Mahal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is not in the list of monument sites where the national flag would be hoisted on August 15, he said.

    The main Independence Day celebrations takes places annually at Red Fort where the Prime Minister hoists the national flag on the ramparts of the Mughal-era monument.

    It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, besides Qutub Minar and Humayun’s Tomb, in Delhi.

    The national flag will be hoisted at 150 heritage sites across India on Independence Day to mark the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, an ASI official had said on Thursday.

    Freedom fighters and Padma awardees will attend the programmes and flag hoisting ceremony, it had said.

    The central government has launched a ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign under which people are being encouraged to hoist the tricolour at their houses as part of the 75 years of India’s Independence.

    Among other sites where the tricolour would be hoisted include British-era Residency in Lucknow, Faizabad’s Gulab Bari, Fort Vellore (Chennai Circle), Warangal Fort (Hyderabad Circle) and Fort, Chitradurga (Bangalore Circle), the official said.

    “Our national flag would also be hoisted at Gandhiji’s birthplace in Gujarat’s Porbander, Akhnoor Fort, Ramnagar Palace, iconic Thiksay Monastery in Leh, Ajanta Ellora Caves site, Harappan-era Dholavira site, and several other monuments,” the official added.

    The flags at these 150 sites would stay there beyond August 15, though it has not been immediately decided if they will become a permanent fixture, officials said.

    Other sites include Daulatabad, Shergarh, Bhangarh, Jaisalmer Fort, Daman Fort, Diu Fort and Pavagarh.

    On the illumination of 150 monuments, the official said, trials are underway at newer sites.

    Hundred monuments were lit up when India’s COVID-19 vaccination programme had crossed the 100-crore milestone of doses being administered, and that experience has come handy, as we know already the exact pattern we require in consonance with the architectural glory of the monument, the official added.

    For UNESCO World Heritage Sites, there area guidelines which are followed, sources said.

    There are a total of 3,693 heritage sites in India protected by the ASI.

    Also, as part of the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, the Union culture ministry had announced free entry for visitors, domestic and foreign, to all ASI-protected monuments and sites across the country from August 5 to 15.

    Besides, flag hoisting and illumination, 37 circles of ASI will conduct different programmes such as tree plantation drives, school ‘samvaads’, lectures, and raising awareness among school children, as part of the celebrations.

    NEW DELHI: From Lucknow’s historic Residency, place of key events during the 1857 Sepoy Mutiny, to Mahatma Gandhi’s birthplace in Porbander, Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is gearing up to hoist the national flag at the sites of 150 of its monuments on Independence Day, officials said on Saturday.

    Besides, logistical work is also being done for illumination of 150 monuments in a tricolour theme, which is expected to start in a few days.

    “Our national flag would be hoisted at ASI sites spanning the length and breadth of the country in the true spirit of India’s diversity and the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.

    They will be hoisted at Fatehpur Sikri and Agra Fort in our Agra Circle.

    In Delhi, the tricolour will flutter high at the ruins of Kotla Feroz Shah and Purana Qila,” a senior official told PTI.

    Taj Mahal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is not in the list of monument sites where the national flag would be hoisted on August 15, he said.

    The main Independence Day celebrations takes places annually at Red Fort where the Prime Minister hoists the national flag on the ramparts of the Mughal-era monument.

    It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, besides Qutub Minar and Humayun’s Tomb, in Delhi.

    The national flag will be hoisted at 150 heritage sites across India on Independence Day to mark the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, an ASI official had said on Thursday.

    Freedom fighters and Padma awardees will attend the programmes and flag hoisting ceremony, it had said.

    The central government has launched a ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign under which people are being encouraged to hoist the tricolour at their houses as part of the 75 years of India’s Independence.

    Among other sites where the tricolour would be hoisted include British-era Residency in Lucknow, Faizabad’s Gulab Bari, Fort Vellore (Chennai Circle), Warangal Fort (Hyderabad Circle) and Fort, Chitradurga (Bangalore Circle), the official said.

    “Our national flag would also be hoisted at Gandhiji’s birthplace in Gujarat’s Porbander, Akhnoor Fort, Ramnagar Palace, iconic Thiksay Monastery in Leh, Ajanta Ellora Caves site, Harappan-era Dholavira site, and several other monuments,” the official added.

    The flags at these 150 sites would stay there beyond August 15, though it has not been immediately decided if they will become a permanent fixture, officials said.

    Other sites include Daulatabad, Shergarh, Bhangarh, Jaisalmer Fort, Daman Fort, Diu Fort and Pavagarh.

    On the illumination of 150 monuments, the official said, trials are underway at newer sites.

    Hundred monuments were lit up when India’s COVID-19 vaccination programme had crossed the 100-crore milestone of doses being administered, and that experience has come handy, as we know already the exact pattern we require in consonance with the architectural glory of the monument, the official added.

    For UNESCO World Heritage Sites, there area guidelines which are followed, sources said.

    There are a total of 3,693 heritage sites in India protected by the ASI.

    Also, as part of the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, the Union culture ministry had announced free entry for visitors, domestic and foreign, to all ASI-protected monuments and sites across the country from August 5 to 15.

    Besides, flag hoisting and illumination, 37 circles of ASI will conduct different programmes such as tree plantation drives, school ‘samvaads’, lectures, and raising awareness among school children, as part of the celebrations.

  • Mosque committee chairman booked for allegedly threatening lawyer in UP: Police

    By PTI

    AGRA: The Agra police have booked the chairman of Shahi Jama Masjid’s management committee here over a purported audio clip in which he allegedly threatens a lawyer who claimed that expensive idols taken from a temple were buried under the mosque premises.

    Mathura-based lawyer Mahendra Pratap Singh had recently sent notices to the Archaeological Survey of India and the Centre claiming that the idols of Keshav Dev temple in his district were buried under the staircase of Sahiba Begum Masjid in Agra’s Shahi Jama Masjid complex by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb when he allegedly destroyed the temple in 1670, and sought their recovery.

    Agra Senior Superintendent of Police Sudhir Kumar Singh said, “A case has been registered against the chairman of the Intezamia Committee at Sahi Jama Masjid Jahid alias Pappu at Mantola police station for giving a provoking statement and making it viral on the internet.”

    He said Jahid has been booked under Sections 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot), 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups), 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code and the Information Technology Act.

    “Police are gathering evidence and strict action will be taken in this regard. We will not allow anybody to make provocative statements and post them on social media,” he added.

    According to the FIR, Jahid had on Friday made a speech at the Shai Jama Masjid premises during which he allegedly threatened lawyer Singh and the petitioner in the Shri Krishna Janmbhoomi case in Mathura.

    He had also allegedly made the audio clip viral on social media.

    However, on Saturday, Jahid released a video statement saying he did not make a comment against the government or the country, but it was against individual people who are trying to “provoke” Muslims for their vested interests.

    He claimed that Muslims are being provoked unnecessarily and that the community is united against such acts.

  • Amid Gyanvapi row, now Hindu outfit claims Ajmer shrine of Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti was temple

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: Claiming the mausoleum of Sufi saint Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer was once a temple, a Hindu outfit has demanded a survey of the premises by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

    Rajvardhan Singh Parmar of Maharana Pratap Sena claimed Hindu symbols were present on the walls and windows of the dargah.

    However, the body of Khadims (servitors) has rejected the claim, saying there was no such symbol.

    “The dargah of Khwaja Gareeb Nawaz was an ancient Hindu temple earlier. The symbols of Swastika are there on the walls and windows. We demand that ASI conduct a survey of the dargah,” Parmar told reporters.

    Moin Chisti, president of Anjuman Saiyad Zadgan, the body of Khadims, said the claim is baseless as there is no such symbol at the mausoleum.

    He said millions of people, both Hindus and Muslims, visit the place every year.

    ALSO READ | Gyanvapi Masjid case: District court to continue hearing on maintainability on May 30

    “I am saying this with full responsibility that the symbol of Swastika is nowhere in the dargah. The dargah has been there for 850 years. No such question ever arose. There is a certain kind of atmosphere in the country today which was never there,” he said.

    He said raising questions about the mausoleum of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti means hurting the sentiments of crores of people who offer prayers there irrespective of their religion.

    Chisti said it is for the government to respond to such elements.

    Mausoleum secretary Wahid Hussain Chisti dubbed the claim an attempt to disturb communal harmony.

  • ASI chief initiates efforts to resume conservation projects after the pandemic pause

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) protected heritage across the states are likely to witness frenzied conservation efforts after two years as the agency–national watchdog for over 3,600 historical structures including monuments and forts–has kick-started an exercise to put restoration or preservation plans back on track. Several ongoing projects had come to halt and many proposals were put in abeyance because of the coronavirus pandemic outbreak in March 2020.

    The director-general (D-G) of the Survey V Vidyavathi has been meeting the officials leading conservation projects in Circles (sub-offices in states) to understand issues serving as impediments. Senior officials, privy to the matter, said that Vidyavathi is particularly focusing on unspent funds allocated to various Circles.  

    “A series of meetings of different departments are taking place to know conservation plans to be taken up in the next financial year. The D-G has already had a meeting with conservation architects (CAs), superintendent archaeologists (SAs) and engineers from all states in Delhi last week. Soon she will meet assistant archaeologists, assistant SAs and others. One of the main issues is the budget given to sub-offices, which is not completely exhausted and hence returned. D-G is of the opinion that once a budget is allocated, it should be effectively used on conservation and the creation of facilities for the visitors. The officials are giving a presentation on what they plan to do in this financial year,” said an official, requesting anonymity.

    According to the culture ministry, Rs 406.37 and Rs 435.60 were allocated for the conservation and upkeep of ASI heritage sites located in different states in 2018-19 and 2019-20 respectively and the agency managed to nearly exhaust its budget. It spent Rs 405.02 crore in 2018-19 and Rs 435.38 crore in 2019-20. The budget of ASI in 2020-21 and 2021-22 drastically dropped to Rs 260.90 and Rs 270 crore to the Covid pandemic respectively. Expenditure in 2020-21 was Rs 260.83 crore and Rs 251.76 crore in 2021-22.

    “Because of the Covid pandemic, projects are pending. This was the concern. The D-G sought to know why conservation was at a standstill. We have told her that due to the pandemic, tendering could not be initiated and moreover, labourers were not available therefore all work at monuments had stopped,” said an official, who attended the meeting with the D-G.  

  • Archaeological Survey of India formulating rotational transfer policy across board

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: Aiming at optimisation of available strength and to establish harmony in functioning of departments and sub-offices, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is finalising a rotational transfer policy.

    The policy, comprising 5 principles to regulate transfer, posting and promotion, features three significant provisions – a ‘3-5-7’ formula, change of  office rule, hard-soft rule. Under the 3-5-7 formula, minimum general tenure for a staff at a location will be three years and the maximum five years.

    Tenure can be extended by two more years in case of extreme public exigency. “No transfer before three years shall be carried out or any request be forwarded or entertained except under administrative exigencies, public interest or compassionate grounds with express approval of the Director General,” says the policy.

    As per hard-soft rule, postings will be done based on an alternative cycle of a ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ station (location) to be categorised according to geography, climate and other inclement considerations of a city or state.

    Once the policy is in force, no staff will be allowed to be brought back to the same office before 10 years of the transfer. However, it will be permitted after seven years if one is given posting at higher levels. The policy says an employee may be given posting in offices anywhere in India or outside and recommendation or reference from ‘very important person’ (VIP) will be entertained. 

    An official of ASI, in the know of the matter, said the draft policy has been circulated among departments in all circles for comments and suggestions. “All employees have been asked to send feedback by December 18. The policy will help streamline posting and transfer, as several requests were sent to higher authorities in this regard,” he said.

    ASI director-general V Vidyawati did not respond to the attempts to reach her.

  • World Heritage Week: Free entry to all centrally protected monuments, sites on Friday

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Entry to all centrally protected historical monuments and sites will be free on Friday to mark the commencement of World Heritage Week celebrations, according to an order issued by the Archaeological Survey of India.

    World Heritage Week is celebrated every year from November 19 to 25.

    At present, 3,691 monuments across India are protected by the ASI, with the highest number, 745, in Uttar Pradesh.

    Among these 143 sites and monuments are ticketed.

    The ASI order stated, “In exercise of the powers conferred under Rule 6 of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Rules, 1959, the Director General, Archaeological Survey of India hereby has directed that no fee shall be charged at all the ticketed Centrally protected monuments/archaeological sites and remains specified in the Second Schedule of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Rules, 1959 on November 19, 2021, on the commencement of the World Heritage week celebrations.”