ASI protected monuments to be declared Polythene Free Zones

The Archaeological Survey of India has declared all ASI protected Monuments and Archaeological Sites as ‘Polythene Free Zone’.

The same was announced by Mahesh Sharma, Minister of State for Culture and Tourism (Independent Charge) in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha on 2 August 2017.

The national body has directed all of its field offices to take necessary steps to comply with the same order. In this regard, Secretary (Culture) has also issued a Demi-official (D.O) letter to all the Chief Secretaries of States to bring forth their active cooperation in making all the centrally protected monument sites as polythene free zones.

The move follows a recommendation by the Ministry of Culture that suggested prohibition on the use of polythene.

To ensure adherence of the same in cities across the country, all the states and Union territories have been directed to issue necessary direction to the local municipal bodies and concerned departments to keep the area approximately 300 metres from the boundary of a protected monument completely polythene free.