At least 25 of the 57 protected archaeological sites dating back to 25th century BC disappear in Nalgonda district.

An estimated 25 of the 57 ancient historic sites in Nalgonda district, classified by the Department of Archaeology and Museums as protected under Andhra Pradesh Ancient and Historical Monuments Archaeological Sites and Remains Act 1960, have disappeared due to the apathy of successive governments in the State.

Sources in the Archaeology Department told The Hindu that the two main reasons behind the disappearance of these monuments was the failure of the successive governments in appointing security personnel and failure in constructing a wall or at least erecting a fence around the monument. A majority of these monuments were Megalithic burial sites dating back to 10th Century BC to 25th Century BC. In most cases, the farmers encroached these burial sites and brought them under cultivation unaware of their archaeological significance.

The district was having second highest number of monuments identified under the Act, second only to Mahabubnagar, which had 59 protected monuments. According to the department 10 protected monuments in Mahabubnagar district also disappeared. Authorities in the department have no clue as to how many of the protected monuments were still intact, since there has been no survey in the recent years to study the status of these monuments.

The protected monuments from these two districts put together account for 34.52 per cent of total monuments in the State. The department had brought 336 monuments in Telangana under the Act since 1960. The sources in the Archaeology Department said that a considerable number of monuments located in rest of the Telangana also disappeared.

A team of officials from Accountants General office of Hyderabad of Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) on thematic audit on historical monuments in Nalgonda district also found the monuments being poorly maintained. The team visited 20 monuments randomly in 2013 to prepare a report on the status of protected monuments here.

Many of the existing monuments were on the verge of collapse. The visiting CAG team in 2013 also identified locals raising additional structures on some of these protected monuments causing grave harm to the natural structure which was prohibited under the Act. Since the department took up no recruitment drive since years, some of these structures were never visited by the staff. The sources further said that the existing staff was also not being paid for their visits to monuments.

Making valuable suggestions for protection of monuments, an employee, on the condition of anonymity, said that the government should appoint an officer of an assistant director level in all the districts apart from round the clock security personnel at each of these monuments. The source also requested the State government to raise a wall around the heritage structure to prevent encroachments and also take step to involve the local people to save the heritage structures.

Lack of initiative

Most of the monuments that disappeared are Megalithic Burials. According to Archaeology officials, eight types of burials existed in the 10th Century BC. In Nalgonda district alone the department found six types of burials that have been categorized as stone circles, Cairns, Menhirs, Avenues, Dolmens, Cromleches. The officials said that the Menhirs was unique among them since the skeleton of the buried would remain intact for centuries.

Parts of Someshwara Swamy Temple located (12th Century AD) at Kolanupaka collapsed couple of years, but the department took no initiative for taking up the conservation works.

Due to lack of security at Rachakonda Fort (14th Century AD), the treasure hunters dug up at several places in the fort. Many structures located on the fort and down are on the verge of collapse due to lack of maintenance. Basavanna temple located near Rajapet Fort is also on the verge of collapse.

No longer exist in Nalgonda

1 Stone Circles at Thipparthy (10th BC)

2 Stone Circles at Nakrekal (10th BC)

3 Cairns & Menhirs at Nakrekal(10th BC)

4 Cairns & Menhirs at Nakrekal (10th BC)

5 Stone Circles at Nakrekal (10th BC)

6 Fortification at Rayagir near Bhongir (13th AD)

7 Inscriptions on Bhongir Fort (15th AD)

8 Buddhist and Andhra site at Nagavaram,Valigonda (1st AD)

9 Megalithic Burials Nagavaram (10th BC)

10 Buddhist Andhra Site at Yeleshwara of Chandampet (1st AD)

11 Stone Circles at Vemulapalli (10th BC)

12 Cairns at Vemulapalli (10th BC)

13 Stone Circles at Huzurnagar (10th BC)

14 Stone Circles at Huzurnagar (10th BC)

15 Cairns at Huzurnagar (10th BC)

16 Muslim Dargha and Fort at Nagulapadu (14th AD)

17 Andhra Buddhist site Thirumalagiri (1st AD)

18 Cairns and Cromleches at Balayaram of Jajireddy Gudem (10th BC)

19 Avenues at Chinnapur Tirumalagiri (10th BC)

20 Stone Circles at Karremula near Suryapet ( (10th BC)

21 Stone Circles at Itur Tirumalagiri (10th BC)

22 Avenues at Yarkaram near Suryapet (10th Century BC)

23 Cairns at Lingala near Penpahad (10th BC)

24 Menhirs at Koravaram near Rajapet (10th BC)

25 Cairns at Adloor near Shaligouraram (10th BC)

In Mahbubnagar

1.Megalithic site at Amangal (10th BC)

2. Megalithic site at Amangal (10th BC)

3 Cairns Makthal (10th BC)

4 Cairns and Menhirs at Nagarkurnool (10th BC)

5 Cairns at Fathepur (10th BC)

6 Megalithic burials at Ramachandrapur (10th BC)

7 Stone Circles at Gollapalli (10th BC)

8 Stone Circles at Kothur (10th BC)

9 Cairns near Dindi (10th BC)

10 Cairns near Dindi (10th BC)