Notify all unprotected monuments in Delhi: Par panel

Flaying the concerned agencies for "passing the buck" over demolition of 13th century 'Lal Mahal' in Delhi, a Parliamentary panel has asked governments to notify all unprotected monuments in the city and evolve a coordination mechanism among bodies involved in their upkeep.

Flaying the concerned agencies for "passing the buck" over demolition of 13th century 'Lal Mahal' in Delhi, a Parliamentary panel has asked governments to notify all unprotected monuments in the city and evolve a coordination mechanism among bodies involved in their upkeep.

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The committee also recommended that the governments prepare an authentic list of monuments at various levels Central, state and local and notify them so that it is "easy to remove encroachments and fix responsibility for their protection, maintenance and conservation."

The partial demolition of 1245 AD Lal Mahal by a private builder on October 31 last year brings out the "dismal state of affairs relating to management and upkeep of monuments," the Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture said.

"Lal Mahal is listed as a heritage structure by MCD, INTACH and Delhi government. But this list has not been notified by MCD," noted the panel, which went into development of tourism infrastructure for the Commonwealth Games 2010.

"The Committee is perturbed to note that the concerned agencies are shying away from their responsibility and passing the buck and blame each other," the report said.

"The ASI has washed its hands off claiming that Lal Mahal was not a protected monument and the MCD should have preserved it. The MCD claims that it was not on the heritage list and it was protected by the INTACH list," it noted.