Harappa land dispute

[Neo]

Harappa land dispute

Wednesday, 16 Jun, 2010

This is because all these years, since the discovery of the world renowned pre-historic site in 1921, the archaeology department has failed to legally acquire the land it enlists as ‘protected’ from its lawful owners. - Photo on file World

Some 358 acres of the protected Harappa archaeological site land is reportedly under threat of occupation by dozens of citizens claiming ownership. The dispute between the archaeology department and the claimants goes back several years. The latter demanded the market price for ceding their land, while the archaeology department offered them only one-fourth of the amount. As legal lacunae remain, with colonial-era land acquisition laws heavily favouring government departments, the claimants now want to occupy the area willy-nilly.

This is because all these years, since the discovery of the world renowned pre-historic site in 1921, the archaeology department has failed to legally acquire the land it enlists as ‘protected’ from its lawful owners. It has also failed to build a protection wall to secure the barely excavated site to prevent trespassing, while it is the official custodian of the land pending a decision on the long legal battle with the claimants.

The invaluable Indus Valley archaeological remains that date back to 2500CE cannot be left to the whims of a dormant archaeology department and the ambitious claimants of the land on which they are located. The authorities would do well to settle the dispute with the claimants in a reasonable manner; it is only fair that the latter get the market price for their land, which must then be secured by the archaeology department for posterity. It is time for the bureaucrats involved in the tussle to act more responsibly and take swift measures to secure the historical site. This should be done by shedding the colonial-era practice of using dictatorially drafted laws that leave citizens frustrated and in a state of rebellion. The landowners’ claim must be settled forthwith and the site secured without any encroachments allowed to be made on the large swathes of unexcavated ‘protected’ land.

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