38 unauthorised constructions at Sarnath, Varanasi in 2013

The government today said 38 unauthorised constructions were carried out in prohibited and regulated areas of Centrally protected monuments at Sarnath and Varanasi in 2013.

Culture minister Chandresh Kumari Katoch told the Rajya Sabha that 16 such constructions were reported in 2012 while seven in 2011.

She said that generally complaints are lodged in the respective police station for violation of rules/guidelines under Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (Amendment and Validation) Act 2010.

"However, FIRs have been registered in a few cases," she said.

Eighty FIRs were lodged in Uttar Pardesh (Agra-72 and Lucknow 8 circles) in 2012-13 for violation of rules/guidelines under Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (Amendment and Validation) Act 2010.

Similarly 66 FIRs were lodged in Vadodara circle in Gujarat in 2012-13 and 38 such FIRs were lodged in Patna circle in Bihar.

She said that ASI Patna circle has received proposals from Cambodian and Tibetan temples Sarnath which have been forwarded to the competent authority Varanasi for further action.