Times of India | 2 days ago | 18-10-2022 | 04:09 am
Panaji: Manpower and resource shortages have made the directorate of archives and archaeology’s task of safeguarding protected monuments a struggle.Locks on gates, sometimes even the gates themselves, have been tampered with or broken, and illegal excavations have been carried out at heritage and archaeological sites. To top it off, the department also faces a challenge with illegal kiosks set up near protected monuments.“At some forts, encroachments take place in connivance with local panchayats and the kiosks are not removed,” the official said, adding that police are intimated as and when incidents are noted. “But we rarely get help,” the official added.One or two security guards are posted at protected sites, he said, but they can’t be expected to guard big monuments, only police can help.At the Chapora Fort, the department is having a tough time removing illegal shops and stalls. “A few years ago, illegal shops were removed but subsequently all were back. The last time we filed a complaint at Anjuna police was in March,” he said. In 2017, an unknown person had tried to break locks on the main gate at the fort. TOI has copies of complaints filed by the department at various police stations, either regarding encroachments or illegalities.The Cabo de Rama fort, too, has been damaged. Two years ago, the officer said, they received complaints that a person would demand money from visitors, including foreign tourists. The department’s attendant was also threatened. A complaint was filed at Cuncolim police station, but the fort remains neglected, the officer said.At Mormugao fort, too, it was found that the premises were used by anti-social elements, and boards installed by the directorate were removed. A similar problem was also faced at St Estevam fort.Earlier this year, the department detected an illegal excavation near the Rivona caves. In 2018, it detected an illegal excavation and damages to another archaeological site, ‘Ruins of College of Populo’ at Tiswadi. The department suspected the involvement of a foreigner. However, it did not name anyone in the police complaint filed then.“The excavations damaged the archaeological remains buried underground. Antiquarian interest in such illegal excavations can’t be ruled out,” the complaint read.Any excavation at archaeological sites requires the approval of the director (excavation), Archaeological Survey of India, as also the approval of the Central Advisory Board of Archaeology, besides an NOC from the directorate of archives and archaeology.In 2017, the department had filed a complaint about the use of explosives for fishing in Khandepar river close to its protected monument Saptakoteshwar temple. “Since the temple is located close to the banks, explosives may damage the historic structure,” the department wrote to Ponda police.An official said, “Secluded forts with hardly any security are perfect spaces for people doing drugs or alcohol parties. Historic places are damaged. Waste is also dumped there. We do not have the manpower to protect them 24x7.”
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