60k Indian monuments at nature’s mercy, says Intach

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New Delhi, Aug 14 : Nearly 60,000 monuments across the country are at nature’s mercy with no agency taking measures for their protection, a body working on conservation of monuments said.

Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (Intach) has prepared a list of nearly 70,000 monuments in the country of which about 60,000 are not looked after by any government or private agency.

“Many of these 60,000 monuments need immediate attention. Otherwise, they will be ruined,” Intach chairman S K Mishra said. These monuments belong to different periods of history and are reminiscent of art, architecture and culture of respective eras. They include old forts, temples and various other structures.

“Before conservation, we need to protect these monuments first,” Mishra said. The Archaeological Survey of India, the Central agency to look after the monuments, is protecting about 7,000 monuments. Besides, archaeological departments of states take care of some. Intach, the NGO set up in 1984 with the mandate to look after monuments which are not under the coverage of government agencies, has taken up restoration and protection of a few hundreds of monuments. In the capital, the condition of these heritage sites is precarious. Intach has listed 1,208 such historic sites in the city.

While ASI is protecting and conserving 174 sites, the state archaeology department of the Delhi government is taking care of 450 heritage sites. INTACH is conserving about 54 monuments here.

Over 500 monuments in the capital are not taken care of by any agency, Mishra said. “The government agencies are taking care of major monuments in the country. Like in foreign countries, corporates should come forward to preserve heritage sites which stand as a proof of the country’s rich cultural diversity,” he said.