New Delhi, March 16: Stringent punishment can be meted out to those
indulging in desecration of archaeological monuments with Parliament passing a bill that also provides for setting up a body to define heritage structures.
The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remain (Amendment and Validation) Bill, 2010, earlier passed by the Lok Sabha, was approved by the Rajya Sabha today.
It will replace an Ordinance promulgated in January this year. Certain provisions added to the Bill, which were absent in the Ordinance, include defining the prohibited area for purposes of construction around the protected monuments.
The punishment for the violators is being extended from three months imprisonment to up to two years or fine up to Rs one lakh from Rs 5,000 now.
–Agencies