Maharashtra government forms committees to remove fort encroachments

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government on Saturday announced the setting up of district-level committees to remove encroachment on ancient forts.

State Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar said these panels will remove the existing encroachments on forts and ensure the prevention of further illegal occupation of these sites.

Shelar said Maharashtra is home to 47 Centrally-protected forts under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and 62 state-protected forts, managed by the Directorate of Archaeology and Museums.

"These forts are a vital part of the state's cultural legacy and require robust measures to ensure their conservation and preservation and to prevent encroachments", he said while addressing a press conference.

Shelar said encroachments on the Central and state-protected forts and unprotected ones raise serious concerns about their structural integrity, historical significance, and law and order at these sites.

He said the district-level committee will be established to address these issues and uphold law and order.

The committees will be headed by district collectors and include the commissioner of police, Zilla Parishad CEO, superintendent of police, municipal commissioner and other officials, These panels will also include chief officers of municipal councils, municipalities and Nagar Panchayats, concerned deputy conservator of forests, superintendent of archaeology, assistant director of Archaeology, Regional Port Authority, Maharashtra Maritime Board, and resident deputy collector.

Shelar said the committees should review and prepare a fort-wise list of encroachments by January 31 and submit it to the government.

He said encroachments must be removed between February 1 and May 31 and measures implemented to ensure future protection of forts from such illegal activities.

The minister added that the committee should hold monthly meetings to review progress and submit its report to the government.