Harappan site turning into dump yard

Deepender Deswal
Tribune News Service
Rakhigarhi (Hisar), February 19

Rampant encroachment is slowly ravaging the 5,000- year-old Harappan site at Rakhigarhi village, as it has turned into a garbage dump.

The ancient habitation, spreading over 550 hectares, is being used to bake cow- dung cakes, which is used as domestic fuel by villagers. Crucial artefacts and evidence of human and animal bones, capable of shedding light on the life and times of dwellers 5,000 years ago in the region known as the Indus Valley Civilisation, were discovered during the excavation carried out by the Deccan College, Pune, in association with the Archaeology Department of Haryana from 2013 to 2016.

The excavation revealed that this place was the hub of trade and administration during the Harappan era. The archaeologists also recovered human skeletons, which are being scientifically examined after extracting their DNA to establish their origin and link with the people of modern times.

A team of the Indian National Trust for Act and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) that visited the site on Sunday, found that the mounds which are the treasure trove of ancient times, need to be preserved and protected in a better way.

Shivang Tayal, a member of the Hisar chapter of INTACH, said despite the fact that the site has drawn the attention of archaeologists and historians from all over the world, the authorities have not been able to preserve the site property.

“Villagers have encroached upon the mounds. Several parts of the site have turned into garbage dumping sites. It needs more funds from the authorities to preserve this historically important site,” he said.

Dharampal Dhull, an artefacts lover who visited the site, said government agencies need to carry out excavation at a large scale for scientific evidence and analysis.

“Private players have their vested interests. The site carries invaluable evidence and artefacts, so it should be maintained and kept by government agencies like the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI),” he said, adding that villagers who have constructed houses or owns land on these mounds must also be adequately compensated and rehabilitated.

Prof Vasant Shinde, Vice-Chancellor of Deccan College, Pune, who headed the excavation team, said the site is extremely important from archaeology point of view, as is clear from the research carried out before by scholars and by the present team. “The major part is under modern habitation and slowly the site is being encroached upon. The destruction and encroachment need to be stopped immediately to save the greatest Harappan site in the country,” he said, adding that the mound numbers 1,2,3 and 5 are protected by the ASI, while mound numbers 4, 6 and 7 were in private land.

Need to protect ancient heritage

• INTACH team visited the site and said it should be preserved and protected in a better way. It suggested carrying out excavation at a large scale for scientific evidence and analysis
• Mound nos. 1,2,3 and 5 protected by the ASI, while mound nos. 4, 6 and 7 is in private land. Experts believe villagers, who have land on these mounds, must be adequately compensated and rehabilitated to preserve the ASI site