Conservation experts and archaeologists have called for stronger protection of Odisha’s Buddhist heritage sites at Ratnagiri, Udayagiri and Lalitgiri, stressing the need for clearly demarcated buffer zones, stricter enforcement of heritage laws and coordinated management by the ASI and state agencies.Experts said protection cannot stop at the boundaries of the protected monuments and must extend to their wider archaeological and visual setting.Buddhist scholar Sunil Patnaik said clearly demarcated buffer zones were critical to safeguarding the integrity of heritage sites. “Heritage does not end at the boundary of a protected monument. Any construction or developmental activity in the surrounding landscape has the potential to affect the integrity and authenticity of the site,” he said.Pointing to Ekamra Kshetra in Bhubaneswar, which has remained on Unesco’s Tentative List since 2014 without progressing to a full nomination, Sunil said inadequate buffer zones and encroachments had been a major impediment. “Encroachments and the lack of buffer zones around the site are primarily why it has not been nominated so far,” he said.Experts also called for stricter enforcement of the AMASR Act and Rules, greater awareness among local communities and scientifically prepared management plans for all three sites.The plans, they said, should cover conservation, protection of the surrounding landscape and future archaeological excavations.