**Executive Summary**
This document presents the responses from the Minister of Culture and Tourism to questions raised in Lok Sabha concerning the protection of temples and heritage structures. Key topics include heritage impact assessments for road projects, waste management at religious gatherings, alternative alignments for infrastructure projects, and the protection of sacred groves. The answers were provided on December 8, 2025.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Heritage Impact Assessments:**
* No heritage impact assessments were conducted for road projects near the Dev Khapreshwar temple, as the temple is neither a Monument of National Importance nor a State-protected monument.
* **Waste Management Protocols:**
* Event-based waste management norms, including restrictions on single-use plastics, are being enforced through local bodies.
* For the Bogdeshwar Jatra at Mapusa, measures were taken to prohibit single-use plastics, display guidelines, impose fines, and distribute cloth bags.
* **Road Alignments and Bypasses:**
* The most suitable road alignment was approved after considering factors including the safety of nearby religious structures.
* Bypass options are explored and implemented to minimize impact on temples, including those at Bhoma (Sateri and Mahadev temples) by the Public Works Department of Goa.
* **Protection of Sacred Groves:**
* Currently, there is no proposal under the Forest Conservation Act, 1980, regarding the protection of sacred groves.
**Impact Analysis**
**Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB)**
* **Impact:** The GSPCB is involved in enforcing restrictions on single-use plastics and implementing waste management measures at religious gatherings.
* **Action Required:** Continue issuing and enforcing instructions prohibiting single-use plastics, display guidelines, impose fines on violators, and distribute upcycled cloth bags to reduce plastic use.
**Public Works Department of Goa Government**
* **Impact:** Responsible for road alignment and construction projects near temples and religious structures.
* **Action Required:** Continue exploring and implementing bypass options to minimize impact on temples during road construction and expansion projects, and consider safety of the religious structures when choosing alignment.
**Local Bodies in Areas with Religious Gatherings**
* **Impact:** Responsible for enforcing event-based waste management protocols and restrictions on single-use plastics.
* **Action Required:** Enforce the waste management protocols and ensure compliance with single-use plastic restrictions during religious gatherings.
Key Entities Referenced
Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act, 1958: Law concerning the protection of ancient monuments and archaeological sites.
Forest Conservation Act, 1980: Law concerning conservation of forests.
Forest Rights Act (FRA): Law concerning the rights of forest dwelling communities.
Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB): State agency responsible for pollution control in Goa.
Bhoma: Village where temples are facing threats due to highway expansion.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF CULTURE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1297
ANSWERED ON 08.12.2025
PROTECTION OF TEMPLES AND HERITAGE STRUCTURES
1297. SHRI CAPTAIN VIRIATO FERNANDES:
Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Central and State Governments conducted heritage impact
assessments before approving road projects near sacred sites in light of the Dev
Khapreshwar temple’s demolition and century-old banyan uprooting—without
heritage safeguards, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
(b) whether the Government has mandated event-based waste management
protocols, enforceable by local bodies, with penalties for sacrilege-level pollution in
view of the plastic pollution left at Bodgeshwar Temple after religious gatherings;
(c) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
(d) whether the Government proposes to explore alternate alignments or bypasses for
infrastructure projects that risk damaging religious structures and enforce heritage
compliance in view of the repeated threats to temples at village Bhoma and
temples like Sateri and Mahadev due to highway expansion, if so, the details
thereof; and
(e) whether the Government is likely to fund geo-mapping, protect sacred groves
under Forest Rights Act (FRA)/Forest Conservation Acts and institute community-
led guardianship backed by surveillance and legal safeguards sacred groves like
Nagvechi Rai are disappearing due to encroachment and idol theft?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF CULTURE AND TOURISM
(SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)
(a) The Dev Khapreshwar temple is neither declared a Monument of National
Importance under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains
(AMASR) Act, 1958, nor notified as a State-protected monument under the
applicable State legislation. Since the monument does not fall under the protection
framework of either the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) or the State
Archaeology Department, the statutory requirement for conducting Heritage Impact
Assessments is not attracted.
(b)& Event-based waste management norms are being enforced through local bodies,
(c) including restrictions on single-use plastics. For the BogdeshwarJatra at Mapusa,
the Temple Committee, in coordination with the Goa State Pollution Control Board
(GSPCB), issued strict instructions prohibiting single-use plastics, displayed Dos
and Don’ts on site, and imposed fines on violators. GSPCB also distributed
upcycled cloth bags to vendors to reduce plastic use.
(d) The most suitable road alignment was approved after considering all relevant
factors, including the safety of nearby religious structures. Wherever feasible,
bypass options are also examined and taken up to minimise any impact on temples
such as those at Bhoma, including the Sateri and Mahadev temples by Public
works Department of Goa Government.
(e) Currently, there is no such proposal under Forest Conservation Act, 1980
regarding protection of sacred grooves.
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