Ancient Monuments Preservation Act being violated openly
*No action on pleas for shifting existing one out of Jaganoo Fort
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Mar 5: In blatant violation of Ancient Monuments Preservation Act, the J&K Samagra Shiksha has started construction of a school near Jaganoo Fort in Udhampur district, which is a State Protected Monument, without obtaining any formal permission as per the provisions of the law. Moreover, there is no action on the repeated requests made to the Udhampur district administration for shifting existing school out of the fort to pave the way for its restoration and hassle free movement of the visitors.
Built in 1928 AD, the Jaganoo Fort was declared as State Protected Monument as per the provisions of Ancient Monuments Preservation Act, 1977 vide SRO No.323 dated October 19, 2009. The Section 10-C of the Act, which deals with construction in and around protected monument, states: “No new construction shall be allowed in and around the prohibited areas as specified or declared under this Act. Provided that the Government may, on the recommendation of the Director Archaeology, create public amenities in the area”.
As per the Act, 100 meters area around any Protected Monument is restricted and 200 meters is prohibited. However, J&K Samagra Shiksha in blatant violation of the Act has started construction of a school on the land just outside the Jaganoo Fort that too without taking any formal permission from the Director, Archives, Archaeology and Museums as mandated under the law, official sources told EXCELSIOR.
“Some locals have reported to the Department of Archives, Archaeology and Museums that pillars have been raised on the open land just in the close vicinity of the Protected Monument by the contractor engaged by the Public Works Department and when they objected to the same the contractor even misbehaved with them”, they said.
Sources further said, “it is really a matter of serious concern that despite being aware of the fact that Jaganoo Fort is a State Protected Monument the land just in front of its entrance was selected for construction of school that too without taking the Director of Archives, Archaeology and Museums into confidence”, adding “construction of a building for a school just adjoining the fort will impede its vision”.
“The issue was also brought to the notice of the District Development Council but the Council is adamant to get the school construction on the same land at any cost and this is the testimony of the non-serious approach towards State Protected Monument”, they informed.
When contacted, Project Director Samagra Shiksha Deep Raj Kanethia fanned ignorance about the construction of school under Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) in front of the Protected Monument at Jaganoo and said, “I will have to check the record first……it is better that you contact me on Monday”.
“What to talk of raising construction in blatant violation of Ancient Monuments Protection Act, the concerned authorities have not taken serious note of numerous representations made by the Department of Archives, Archaeology and Museum about shifting of school functioning from the Jaganoo Fort premises”, sources informed.
One portion of the fort is being used to run Government Higher Secondary School Jaganoo during the past many years as a result of which there is no free movement of the visitors to the Protected Monument during the school timing. Moreover, after the school timing the main entrance is locked and this deprives the visit to the monument even in the evening hours.
“In such a situation how the people would come to know about the historic background of the State Protected Monument remains a million dollar question”, sources said, adding “even Samba Fort was being used to run a Higher Secondary School but later it was shifted to somewhere else to pave the way for hassle free visit of the people to the fort and same step should have been taken in respect of Jaganoo Fort”.
They further said, “it is really shocking that instead of shifting school to some other suitable place building is being constructed just in front of Jaganoo Fort”, adding “all this clearly indicates the non-serious approach towards the rich heritage”.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
