Delisting of monuments

Why in news?

• The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has decided to delist 18 “centrally protected monuments” because it has assessed that they do not have national importance.

Meaning of the “delisting” of monuments

• The ASI, which works under the Union Ministry of Culture, is responsible for protecting and maintaining certain specific monuments and archaeological sites that have been declared to be of national importance under the relevant provisions of The Ancient Monuments Preservation Act, 1904 and The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958 (AMASR Act).
• Delisting of a monument effectively means it will no longer be conserved, protected, and maintained by the ASI.
• Section 35 of the AMASR Act says that “If the Central Government is of opinion that any ancient and historical monument or archaeological site and remains declared to be of national importance…has ceased to be of national importance, it may, by notification in the Official Gazette, declare that the ancient and historical monument or archaeological site and remains, as the case may be, has ceased to be of national importance for the purposes of [the AMASR] Act.
• Under the AMASR Act, any kind of construction-related activity is not allowed around a protected site. Once the monument is delisted, activities related to construction and urbanisation in the area can be carried out in a regular manner.
• ASI currently has 3,693 monuments under its purview, which will fall to 3,675 once the current delisting exercise is completed in the next few weeks.

About AMASR Act

• The AMASR Act protects monuments and sites that are more than 100 years old, including temples, cemeteries, inscriptions, tombs, forts, palaces, step-wells, rock-cut caves, and even objects like cannons and mile pillars (“kos minars”) that may be of historical significance.
• These sites are scattered across the length and breadth of the country and, over the decades, some, especially the smaller or lesser known ones, have been lost to activities such as urbanisation, encroachments, the construction of dams and reservoirs, or sheer neglect, which has resulted in their falling apart.
• In some cases, there is no surviving public memory of these monuments, making it difficult to ascertain their physical location.
• Under the AMASR Act, the ASI should regularly inspect protected monuments to assess their condition, and to conserve and preserve them. In cases of encroachment, the ASI can file a police complaint, issue a show-cause notice for the removal of the encroachment, and communicate to the local administration the need for demolition of encroachments.

Philippine and South China Sea

Why in news?

• Recently, India’s External Affairs Minister firmly supported the Philippines in upholding its national sovereignty during his visit to Manila.

About

• Historically, Indian influences reached the Philippines through the Srivijaya and Majapahit empires, contributing to the early Philippine culture, religion, and language.
• The presence of numerous words with Sanskrit roots in Tagalog (the local language) and objects such as the Laguna Copper Plate inscription, the oldest artefact discovered in the Philippines derived from Pallava script; the golden statue of Agusan Tara; and the localised version of Indian epic Ramayana (Maharadia Lawana) testify to the historical links between the two countries.
• The bilateral relations between India and the Philippines have diversified into political-security, trade and industry, and people-to-people realms.
• The two countries have agreed to expand their ties in sectors like civil aviation, fintech, education, defence, and security.
• Common Interest in the Indo-Pacific: India and the Philippines share a common interest in the Indo-Pacific, envisioning it as free, open, and inclusive.

Philippine and South China Sea

• The South China Sea dispute is a long-standing territorial conflict involving several countries, including the Philippines and China.
• China claims sovereignty over nearly all of the South China Sea, including the disputed Second Thomas Shoal, based on historical records dating back nearly 4,000 years.
• However, the Philippines, along with other countries such as Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Brunei, disputed China’s claims, and accused China of encroaching upon its territorial waters in the South China Sea.