NEW DELHI: People will not be able to use selfie sticks at Museums for clicking pictures as the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), under a new policy, has banned its use at its museums across the country. Moreover, people wishing to commercially use the photographs and videos of artefacts in museums will now have to pay a charge.
The new policy said that selfie sticks are strictly not permitted in the museum premises and visitors to archaeological site museums like Taj Museum in Agra, the Indian War Memorial Museum in Delhi and for that matter other museums in the country will not be able to use selfie sticks.
Officials said that decision to exclude selfie sticks was taken to ensure security of the artefacts as there have been instances of the sticks getting too close to them.
A senior official said that the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has decided to charge for such photographs and videos to be used for commercial purposes. Under the photography and filming policy, a fee amounting to Rs 750 per photograph will be charged from visitors who intend to use it for commercial purposes.
As per the policy, the photographs of artifacts in digital format (high resolution) 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.
Officials said that this has been done to regulate the antiquities in the archaeological site museum under ASI and certain guidelines will be followed while photographing or filming at these museums. As per the guidelines, photography or filming for visitors as well as for academicians is still free of cost, provided they have sought permission in advance for camera equipment and accessories.
Objects retrieved during site excavations, explorations, scientific clearances and during conservation of monuments, are showcased in museums.
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.