Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Wednesday directed the Maharashtra Directorate of Archaeology and Museums to take necessary steps to preserve and protect ancient petroglyphs and geoglyphs in the Konkan region, particularly in Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts.
These prehistoric rock engravings, dating back at least 10,000 years, are found in and around the proposed site of a mega oil refinery in Barsu village, raising concerns about their potential destruction.
A division bench of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Sandeep Marne was hearing a PIL filed by three farmers from Ratnagiri, Ganpat Raut, Ramchandra Shelke and Mahendra Gaurav, seeking protection of the rock art under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958. The petitioners feared that the Barsu-Solgaon refinery project might harm the sites, some of which are included in UNESCO’s tentative list of World Heritage Sites.
In its affidavit, the Directorate of Archaeology stated that it has already declared seven petroglyph sites in Ratnagiri district as state-protected monuments and is in the process of granting similar status to three more. It also clarified that the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) has excluded the petroglyph-rich areas of Devache Gothane and Barsu from the refinery plans.
The Directorate has also submitted a proposal to UNESCO to include nine petroglyph sites from Maharashtra and Goa in the World Heritage list.
The State infomed the court that Rs 4.32 crore were sanctioned for 17 sites. The HC noted in its order: “We hope that the funds which have been sanctioned for maintenance of petroglyphs and geoglyphs sites shall be utilised for the purposes of maintenance, preservation, conservation and management of petroglyphs and geoglyphs.”
“We deem it appropriate to direct the Directorate to take necessary steps to preserve and protect the sites mentioned in the petition as well as others identified by the government,” the court said while disposing of the PIL.
It also granted liberty to the petitioners to provide suggestions or assistance for the upkeep of the sites and to suggest additional sites in need of protection.
