Court Pushes for Preservation: Protecting Uttar Pradesh's Crumbling Heritage

The Allahabad High Court has taken a firm stance on the deteriorating state of various heritage sites and structures across Uttar Pradesh. Notices have been issued to the state government and several national agencies, including the Union Ministries of Culture, Tourism, and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), to address the matter.

This action follows a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by lawyer Akash Vashishtha, who brought to light the appalling condition of heritage structures in cities like Jhansi, Vrindavan, Agra, Lucknow, and Hastinapur. The court, led by Chief Justice Arun Bhansali and Justice Kshitij Shailendra, ordered the concerned departments to respond within eight weeks, citing severe neglect.

According to the petitioner, a shocking 4,995 out of 5,416 heritage buildings across the state are unprotected, with only a fraction receiving any care. Vashishtha argued for immediate government intervention to enforce protections mandated by the Ancient Monuments Act, emphasizing the urgency to safeguard these cultural treasures for future generations.