ASI halts eco-tourism park near Dharamshala’s historic church

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has told the Himachal Pradesh forest department and a private leaseholder to tear down some buildings in a new eco-tourism park near Dharamshala.

The park is too close to an old and important church called St John in the Wilderness, which has a special tomb inside.

The ASI says the park breaks the rules because it is within 100 meters of the protected church.

The leaseholder, Pankaj Kumar, says he did not know the park was in a restricted area.

The church also says the rules make it hard to add basic things like toilets for visitors.

The ASI wants to make sure no one builds anything new too close to important old buildings.