MONUMENTS TO BE PROTECTED, BUT WHERE ARE THE GUARDS?

By Aeman Fatima Nishat / Hyderabad

The AP state government seems to be trying to follow the motif ‘all talk but no action’. Though it has declared 14 more historical structures in the state as ‘protected’ this year, they seem to have given no thought on how to protect them. 
    
For two weeks, the monuments falling under the state department of archaeology and museums were without any protection as Bharathi Security Forces, the private firm that was hired to provide security, withdrew its service after its contract expired on March 31. The contract was not renewed as the government failed to clear pending bills to the tune of Rs 1.09 crore accumulated over the last 11 months.

    
Though it took much persuasion and promises by the department officials to convince the agency to provide security for the current week, the government seems bent on bringing more monuments under security without enough guards. Bharathi Security Forces was the only security provider in the department’s roster which guarded more than 500 monuments with just 120 men. 
    

In the city, there are 28 protected structures which are guarded by 40 men. While the Qutub Shahi Tombs have 12 men for its security, the AP State Museum, which has one of the largest coin collections in the world, has only seven men keeping vigil on its premises. Other structures, like Khazana Museum in Golconda where antiques were stolen earlier, have not more than two guards protecting them. Monuments like Raymond Tomb in Malakpet are a known haven for miscreants who crave the seclusion of the place. 
    
Adding to this list are the new ‘protected’ monuments like the temples in Anantapuram, Kurnool, Guntur, East and West Godavari districts. In the city, the tomb complex of Mah Lakha Chanda Bai in Malkajgiri was declared a protected structure. The government has announced its intention to ‘protect’ eight more structures. 
    
However, department officials concede that at least 300 more guards are required to protect even the existing monuments. But efforts to hire more security men have fallen flat in the past with the archaeology department maintaining the alibi of fund crunch. And, this despite the department receiving sufficient funds under the 12th and 13th finance commissions. 
    
When contacted Chandana Khan, special chief secretary, tourism, culture and youth affairs, said that provisions were being made for the speedy clearance of the pending dues. “We could not clear the pending amount in the last financial year; however provisions have been made in this year’s budget. I will also hold meetings with the director of archaeology to quickly address the matter,” she said.