Why in news? Uttar Pradesh has the largest number of Centrally Protected Monuments that have been encroached upon, closely followed by Tamil Nadu

Highlights

• Uttar Pradesh also has the largest number of Centrally Protected monuments in the country at 743, while Tamil Nadu has 412.
• Karnataka and Maharashtra are third and fourth with 48 and 46 such monuments, respectively, hosting encroachments. Gujarat has 35 protected monuments that have been invaded.
• India has a total of 3,695 Centrally Protected Monuments or Sites in the country, under the protection of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

How are  monuments are Protected?

• The monuments are regularly inspected by the ASI officials to assess their present condition and necessary conservation and preservation works are taken up as per the requirement
• Filing police complaints, issuing show-cause notices to defaulters for the removal and issuing demolition orders to the Collector for the demolition or removal of the said encroachments.

How this monuments are regulated ?

• Regulates construction around the protected monuments through the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (Amendment) Act, 2010.
• The Act prohibits construction within 100 metres of a protected monument.
• The next 300-metre radius is regulated too.
• Proposed amendments seek to do away with the ban on construction within 100 metres of a monument and only regulate construction within 100-200 metres, under the Act that protects monuments and sites over 100 years old.