ASI officials concerned over security of monuments during

: The State government and Ballari district administration are striving to ensure all arrangements are made on time for the Hampi Utsav though the Arechaeological Survey of India (ASI) has raised questions about the security of monuments during the three- day event.
Officials at ASI said they are worried that miscreants could damage the monuments and there are also chances of idols being stolen as it is hard to monitor the crowd.
The mini circle office of ASI located at Hampi has recently reportedly written to its head office in Delhi raising questions about the security of monuments, officials said.

An official at ASI said officials at the mini-circle office have raised objections with the district administration for choosing the world heritage site as venue to organise the Utsav from Jan 9.
Another source at ASI said the event should have been organised anywhere outside the Hampi site.
The authorities should consider creating a permanent place outside the Hampi to organise the Utsav, an official told PTI.
He also pointed out that using heavy power cables and movements of trucks for setting up stages could pose a threat to the monuments and inconvenience visitors who want to go around to see the monuuments.

Officials are of the opinion that the venue should be shifted from the Hampi site to some other place even though organising the event at the site has become a practice since the past few years.