Policies and acts on heritage site

Submitted By
Adiba Shafique

Heritage buildings
The definition runs thus "heritage building means any building of one or
more premises, or any part thereof, which requires preservation and
conservation for historical, architectural, environmental or ecological
purpose and includes such portion of the land adjoining such building or
any part thereof as may be required for fencing or covering or otherwise
preserving such building and also includes the areas and buildings
requiring preservation and conservation.

International Law
In 1972 under the auspices of UNESCO the international community
of states have adopted the Convention Concerning the
Protection of World Cultural & Natural Heritage.
Aim - Establishing a system of collective protection on a permanent
& scientific
basis. The task of maintaining, increasing and diffusing knowledge by
assuring the conservation and protection of the worlds inheritance of
books, works of art and monuments of history and science and
recommending to the nations concerned the necessary international
conventions.

The Ancient Monuments Preservation Act, 1904- An Act to

provide for the preservation of Ancient Monuments and objects of
archaeological, historical, or artistic interest. Act provided effective
preservation and authority over the monument particularly those,
which were under the custody of individual or private ownership. As
this Act has not been repealed, it is deemed to be in force.
Amendment of AMP act, 1st September, 1949 - it is expedient
to provide for the preservation of ancient monuments, for the
exercise of control over traffic in antiquities and over excavation in
certain places, and for the protection and acquisition in certain cases
of ancient monuments and of objects of archaeological, historical or
artistic interest.

The Ancient and Historical Monuments and Archaeological

Sites and Remains Act, 1951all the ancient and historical monuments and archaeological sites and
remains protectedearlier under The Ancient Monuments
Preservation Act, 1904 (Act No. VII of 1904) were re-declared as
monuments and archaeological sites of national importance under
this Act.
An Act to provide for the preservation of ancient and historical
monuments and archaeological sites and remains of national
importance, for the regulation of archaeological excavations and for
the protection of sculptures, carvings and other like objects

Central government on 15th May 1991 notified under AMASR

Rules 1959 that an area up to 100 meters from the protected limit of
the monument has been declared as prohibited area for any
construction activity and further up to 200 meters of such protected
monument the area is declared as regulated area in which
construction can be allowed only after taking permission from the
Director General, ASI.

National Monuments Authority (NMA) 2010

under the Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India has been setup as per
provisions of The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and
Remains AMASR (Amendment and Validation) Act, 2010 which was
enacted in March, 2010- Several functions have been assigned to the
NMA for the protection and preservation of monuments and sites
through management of the prohibited and regulated area around
the centrally protected monuments. One amongst these
responsibilities of NMA is also to consider grant of permissions to
applicants for construction related activity in the prohibited and
regulated area.

National Monuments Authority objectives:Creating awareness amongst the people and various stake holders
on the need for conservation and preservation of the built heritage.
Emphasis on mutual growth of the monument and the people, rather
than purely regulation and control.
Training and capacity building in the use of new technology for
conservation and preservation of monuments at the level of CA and
at ASI.
Engage more intensively with the State Governments, in particular
with their Urban Development and Local Urban Planning Departments
as involvement of states in efforts for conservation and preservation
is very important

ional Monuments Authority (NMA)

A few other important changes have also been brought in by the

2010 Act. Some of these are:Statutory provision for the prohibited and regulated areas.
Complete ban on construction (including public projects) in the
prohibited area.
Providing statutory procedures for applications seeking permission
for construction/repair/renovation.
The authority shall make necessary scrutiny of the Heritage bye
laws and accord approval after inviting objections/suggestions from
the public
Grading and classification of monuments

Existing acts can be used for heritage protection

in Indian cities
CENTRAL
Environment Protection Act 1986
CRZ Notification, 1991 and MOEF ,Notification,
2003
STATE
State Town and Country Planning Acts
LOCAL
Development Control Rules/ Byelaws

itutions working on heritage buildings are -

Archaeological Survey of India- established in 1870, is now under

GOI, Ministry of Culture. It is Dedicated to the preservation and
conservation of the archaeological antiquities of India. ASI's function
is to "explore, excavate, conserve, preserve and protect the
monuments and sites of National & International Importance."
Functions
The principle functions include conservation, developing and
maintaining archeological gardens, chemical preservation of
monuments of antiquities archeological examination and excavation.
Implementation of the antiquities and art treasure 1972 act is also
its major function
The original personality of monument has to be preserved

INTACH
TheIndian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage(INTACH) is an
autonomousnon-governmental Indian NGOthat seeks to preserveIndian
ArtandCultural heritage.
INTACH plays a vital role in the listing, documentation and conservation of
historic structures and precincts of architectural, historical and cultural value.
There team of conservation architects is working on projects nationwide for
the conservation of heritage properties and mobilization of resources in this
direction.
Main objectives
Listing or Inventorying of heritage properties
Documentation and Conservation Plans for historic sites and buildings,
heritage gardens.
Restoration of historic buildings and their Adaptive Reuse
Urban Conservation, including new development within historical, cultural
and/or vernacular context that encourages revival of traditional building
arts and crafts
Development of Urban Haats
Disaster Management Initiatives

Funding organisations
Aga Khan Program,
Australian High Commission
Giridhar Smarak Trust, Jaisalmer
Helen Hamlyn Trust, UK
INTACH (UK) Trust
Jaisalmer in Jeopardy UK
Maharangarh Museum Trust, Jodhpur
UNESCO
World Monument Watch
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Spain (MAEC)
Patiala Heritage Society
Ministry of Tourism, Government of India
Department of Archaeology, GNCTD
University of Allahabad
IL&FS Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd.
Department of Cultural Heritage, Government of Gangtok
Archaeological Survey of India
Ministry of Culture, Government of India
Ministry of Environment, Government of India
Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India
Ministry of Railways, Government of India

Case Study

- Revitalisation of the Gardens of Emperor

Humayun's Tomb

The first privately funded

restoration
of
a
World
Heritage Site in India was
completed in March 2003
through the jointeffortof
the, The AgaKhan Trust
for Culture (AKTC) and the
Archaeological Survey of
India (ASI), under the aegis
of
theNationalCulture
Fund. The expanded project
now
encompasses
Nizamuddin Basti and the
Sunder Nursery.

(Completed 2003)

objectives and Implementation

Site works encompassed a variety of disciplines, including archaeological
excavation, the application of conservation science and
hydraulicengineering.
The projects implementation phase began when the Trust began work on the
12 hectare (30 acre) garden site in 2000. Working under the aegis of the
National Culture Fund and in collaboration with the Archaeological Survey of
India (ASI), the Trust undertook the first privately funded restoration of a
World Heritage Site in India. Work was completed in March 2003.
The US$ 650,000 restoration project has featured:
Removal of 3,000 truckloads of earth (12,000 cubic metres),
Planting of 12 hectares (30 acres) of lawn,
Re-setting and alignment of over 3.500 kilometres of path kerbstones,
Preparation by some 60 stonecutters of 3,000 metres of hand- dressed red
sandstone slabs (to edge the channels),

Creation of 128 ground-water recharge pits and the de-silting and creation of
other wells as part of the largest rainwater-harvesting system scheme in any
heritage site in India,
Creation of a site exhibition.
Planning and installation of a new water-circulation system for the walkway
channels.
Planting of 2,500 trees and plants, including mango, lemon, neem, hibiscus
and jasmine cuttings, according to Mughal texts.
Repair of fountains, wells and rainwater-harvesting systems.
Provision of wheelchair access to a significant part of the site.

Bibliography

http://www.nizamuddinrenewal.org/
http://www.google.co.in/#
http://www.nizamuddinrenewal.org/docs/AKTC_PROJECT_Delhi_2013.pdf
http://www.akdn.org/hcp/india.asp#humayun
http://www.prsindia.org/uploads/media/1237548287/Legislative%20Brief%
20--%20National%20Commission%20for%20heritage%20sites%20bill%202009
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