ASI to charge for pics, videos of site museums to be used for

The Archaeological Survey of India has decided to charge for photographs and videos of artifacts in the premises of its site museums to be used for commercial purposes.
Under the photography/filming policy, a fee amounting to Rs 750 per photograph will be charged from visitors who intend to use it for commercial purposes.
The photographs of artifacts in digital format (high resolution 300 dpi) will be supplied via e-mail by the official in-charge concerned after the fee is paid and permission granted.
The user will also have to acknowledge the ASI whenever the photograph is published or displayed, the policy said.

In archaeological site museums, objects retrieved during site excavations, explorations, scientific clearances and during conservation of monuments, are displayed.
For filming at ASI sites a fee for filming--Rs 50,000 (non-refundable) per day per museum and Rs 10,000 (refundable) as a security money--has to be deposited.

The fee may be exempted in case of central and state agencies carrying out filming using their own resources and not on contract. Here, too, the filmmaker has to acknowledge the ASI in the final product.
The request for filming/video shoot along with a camera crew shall have to be made by the applicant at least 15 days prior to the proposed date of shoot.

The ASI has also issued a set of forms each for applicants who wish to use photographs and shoot films on the site museums.
"In order to regulate the antiquities in the archaeological site museum under ASI being photographed and filmed for commercial purpose and the security/safety of visitors, there are certain guidelines that shall be followed while photographing/filming at the archaeological site museums of the ASI," the policy said.
However, photography or filming for visitors as well as for academicians is still free of cost, provided they have sought permission in advance for heavy camera equipment and accessories.
"Policies need to change according to the need of the times. There are so many instances where videos of our museums have been used in popular culture. So, the ministry (culture) was of the view that such usage for commercial purposes should be levied a fee," said K Lourdusamy, Director, Museums, ASI.

The ASI regulated site museums in Delhi include Indian War Memorial Museum, Mumtaz Mahal Museum, Archaeological Museum, Purana Qila, Swatantrata Senani Museum and Swatantrata Sangram Sanghralaya.