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Hampi risks deletion from world heritage list: AFP

One of Asia's largest archaeological sites, the ruins of the 14th century Vijayanagar empire in southern India, is facing the bleak prospect of being struck off the list of World Heritage Sites.

Among India's most celebrated historical sites, the ruins at Hampi in Karnataka state have already been placed on the World Heritage Committee's "in danger" list and a two-member UNESCO team is currently on a mission to the site to determine if stronger measures need to be taken.

Declared a World Heritage Site in 1986, Hampi has run foul of the state government's modernisation plans, which included the construction of two bridges right through the site.

Regional UNESCO programme specialist Junko Taniguchi and UNESCO consultant Gamini Wijesuirya arrived in the town on Monday to compile a report on whether corrective measures drawn up by the World Heritage Committee had been implemented.

Their conclusions, so far, have been negative.

"One thing is clear, and that is that a representative of the Government of India informed the committee that construction of the two bridges had halted, which is not true," Taniguchi told AFP.

"I am disappointed this construction has not stopped."

Hampi was put on the "in danger" list in November. If the state government and the Archaeological Survey of India fail to heed that warning, the site runs the very real risk of being struck off the World Heritage List altogether.

"The World Heritage Committee will designate a deadline after receiving the report of this team, and after consultations with the officials concerned," Taniguchi said.

Covering 25 sq km in the heart of the Deccan plateau, the unique ruins at Hampi once formed the capital of the Vijayanagar empire (1336-1726), which extended from the Arabian Sea to the Bay of Bengal.

The Vijayanagar kings, while busy fighting Muslim sultans and other Hindu kings, were also famed for cultivating the arts -- particularly music, literature, sculpture and architecture.

The monuments at Hampi include temples, pavilions, reservoirs and even stables for the royal elephants. "Less than 30 of the 630 World Heritage Sites across the world have been inscribed as those 'in danger'," Taniguchi said.

"Of the 17 sites in India, Hampi is the only one included in the danger list."

One of UNESCO'S main complaints was that Karnataka authorities actually moved a large pillared structure to make way for one of the bridges.

Jitendra Das, head of the ASI office in Bangalore said the government had relocated the monument without the ASI's permission.

"If Hampi is taken off the list of World Heritage Sites, we will lose funds from international organizations for restoration and further research by archaeologists from all over the world," said Das.

He also admitted that the Rs 2 million spent every year on Hampi's upkeep was "grossly insufficient."

UNESCO consultant Wijesuirya accused the state government of negligence and short-sightedness. "This huge site is the pride of humanity, not only of India," Wijesuirya said.

"But it doesn't look like the government has undertaken a comprehensive survey of the needs of the people before taking up the construction of the bridges."

Construction of the bridges began in 1998 with a combined budget of 50 million rupees.

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