Centre issues notification for appointment of NMA members

Two days after the Delhi high court rap, the Centre on Friday issued notification for appointing one full-time and two part-time members of the National Monument Authority (NMA).

Two days after the Delhi high court rap, the Centre on Friday issued notification for appointing one full-time and two part-time members of the National Monument Authority (NMA).

HT Image

The appointment will now enable NMA meetings, necessary to bring relief to the hundreds of property owners and also a number of public infrastructure projects awaiting permission for construction, all within 300 metres of centrally protected monuments.

The Delhi high court on Wednesday had directed the Centre to notify within 30 days the members and chairperson of the NMA. However, the notification does not mention the name of the chairperson.

"The government has approved Meera Ishwar as full-time member and Dr Sanghamitra Basu and Rima Hooja as part-time members of the NMA," said Jawahar Sircar, secretary, ministry of culture.

The three members are experts from the field of archaeology and conservation architecture, said Pravin Shrivastava, member-secretary, NMA.

Since the amendment in the Archaeological Act in March 2010, which bans any new construction within 100 metres and puts several restrictions on construction within 101-300 metres of a protected monument, several property owners had been facing hard times as only NMA can approve or reject any proposals.