Archaeologists from Nagpur University have issued a grave warning about the potential destruction of a prehistoric heritage site in Maharashtra's Chandrapur district. The site, located in Bhatala village approximately 80 kilometres from Nagpur, is believed to be nearly two million years old and forms part of a significant prehistoric landscape.
A Prehistoric Treasure Under Threat
Researchers from Nagpur University (NU) have identified the Bhatala site as a crucial window into early human occupation in Central India. The site has yielded primitive stone tools and red quartzite artefacts, which scholars say are vital for understanding the region's ancient history. Professor Prabash Sahu, head of the Postgraduate Department of Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaeology (AIHCA) at NU, led the team that documented the site.
Alarmingly, the researchers report that alleged illegal mining and blasting activities are occurring perilously close to the site. These activities are reportedly taking place within a 300-metre radius of the Bhavani Temple in Bhatala, which is itself a protected monument listed by the Directorate of Archaeology and Museums. This proximity violates the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act, 2010, which strictly regulates such work near heritage sites.
Repeated Violations and Inadequate Protection
Despite complaints from archaeologists, the destructive activities appear to continue. Professor Sahu's team reported that statutory signboards marking the protected area were removed. Following a report in The Times of India, the state archaeology department surveyed the area and directed the district administration to curb mining and trespassing. However, researchers claim violations have persisted.
"The pace of quarrying suggests the prehistoric site will vanish soon," Professor Sahu stated, highlighting the urgency of the situation. The deposits at Bhatala are archaeological in nature, containing stone tools like hand axes, cleavers, and scrapers, along with materials like quartzite and chert from Paleolithic settlements. These are not economic minerals, though the wider region is known for resources like iron ore and coal.
A Familiar Pattern of Neglect
Heritage experts have drawn a dire comparison between Bhatala and the fate of Papamiya Tekdi in Chandrapur, one of India's oldest known Stone Age sites. Despite early documentation by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and a 2018 government decision to establish a prehistoric museum there, large parts of Papamiya Tekdi were affected by the construction of a medical college and hospital.
Officials from the Directorate of Archaeology and Museums, Maharashtra, have acknowledged the issue at Bhatala. Mayuresh Khadke, Assistant Director of Archaeology and Curator, confirmed that restoration work is underway at the Bhavani Temple and that the department has informed the district collector and revenue officials about the alleged illegal mining. He noted a key problem: while the temple has protected status, the surrounding prehistoric deposits are unfenced and insufficiently demarcated, leaving enforcement to district-level authorities.
District Collector Vinay Gowda did not respond to queries from TOI. However, Warora Tehsildar Yogesh Kautkar asserted that no destruction was occurring within the prohibited area. "No activity is allowed within a 200-metre radius of a protected site. The activity is outside the permitted range with due permission," he said. When questioned about ASI norms that prohibit mining within 300 metres, Kautkar stated all necessary permissions were in place and that the area falls within a designated mining zone.
Professor Sahu countered this argument, asking, "Is it necessary to carry out mining in this area only when it has been established that it is a prehistoric site?"
The Legal Framework for Protection
The law provides clear safeguards for sites like Bhatala:
- Prohibited Area (0–100 metres): The AMASR Act, 2010 completely bans any new construction, mining, quarrying, excavating, or blasting within 100 metres of a protected monument or site.
- Regulated Area (100–300 metres): This extended zone requires prior permission from the Competent Authority, based on recommendations from the National Monuments Authority (NMA), for any activity, including mining.
These rules reinforce earlier regulations from the AMASR Rules of 1959, which also required Central Government approval for mining near protected areas. The 2010 amendment was designed to strengthen these protections further.
The standoff at Bhatala underscores the ongoing conflict between industrial activity and heritage conservation in India. With a site nearly two million years old at risk, archaeologists are calling for immediate and decisive intervention to prevent the irreversible loss of a chapter in human history.
