The Archaeological Survey of India has told the Delhi High Court that a new expert committee has been formed for the conservation, restoration, and proper operation of the Jantar Mantar monument.
The submission was made by ASI in a brief affidavit filed by it before Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora in response to a contempt petition moved by Ravindra Nath Sharma in 2011.
Sharma was displeased with the division bench’s failure to comply with an order passed on September 22, 2010, recording an undertaking provided on behalf of ASI that Jantar Mantar will be fully operational and restored to its original glory to the best of their ability.
The division bench further ordered the Union and Delhi governments to provide ASI with the required assistance. Following a recent ruling by Justice Arora on January 20, ASI filed a short affidavit in the matter on April 22.
The government agency requested eight weeks to set up a meeting of the newly formed expert group and provide recommendations for carrying out conservation and restoration of the monument in the affidavit.
Sharma’s counsel objected to the request, claiming that ASI’s response was “deliberately vague” and that the agency’s inactivity demonstrated a disregard for the pendency of the matter.
The court, however, accepted the request and granted ASI eight weeks’ time “in the interest of justice.”
“It is reasonably expected, however, that the newly formed committee will hold the meeting as soon as possible so that steps taken for preservation, restoration, and proper functionality of the monument can be placed on record before the next date of hearing,” the court stated and scheduled the case for further hearing on August 31, 2023.
The court also ordered the supervising archaeologist, who filed the affidavit on behalf of ASI, to appear in court on the next hearing date.
“It is directed that the status report indicating the steps initiated for conservation, preservation, restoration, and proper functionality of the monument be filed one (1) week prior to the next date of hearing,” the court added.
