AGRA: The ASI's effort to get the Army out of the Agra Fort, a UNESCO world heritage site, has hit a roadblock with the defence ministry putting forth a counter proposal, seeking to know how military personnel living in the monument's premises can facilitate tourist visits.
Citizens' groups, which have been demanding the Army's vacation from the fort, have denounced the defence ministry's move and said due to the presence of troops within its premises, several norms for its conservation are being violated.
Secretary of ministry of culture and tourism, Ravindra Singh, said, "We had requested the defence ministry to hand over the fort to ASI, but we received a counter proposal from them. Now, the ASI has been asked to conduct a study and we will wait for the report before deciding the further course of action."
When reminded that the defence ministry had earlier agreed to hand over a portion of the Fort, not in use by the Army, to ASI, Singh said, "Union minister of state for culture and tourism Shripad Naik will take up the matter with his counterpart in the defence ministry about areas of the fort which can be vacated by the army."
The Archaeological Survey of India and various citizen groups of Agra have been demanding that the army give up its occupation of the Agra Fort, similar to how Delhi's Red Fort was vacated in 2003.
K C Jain, secretary of Agra development foundation, said, "How will Army help tourists? Their presence is coming in the way of the fort's conservation work. This is just an eyewash and a move to scuttle any efforts to move them out. We will continue with our demand for full vacation of the fort."
He said the Agra Fort was declared a World Heritage Site in 1983 by UNESCO, but due to the presence of troops in its premises, several norms for its conservation are being violated. "Diesel vehicles of the armed forces enter the occupied area of the fort and the military personnel cook their food and have their toilet facilities in the premises. All these activities are contrary to the norms to be followed for protected monuments," he claimed.
The fort is spread over an area of about 94 acres and over 20 protected monuments are situated in its premises. British troops were stationed there and the Indian Army took over after independence.
via Times of India ,
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