MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court on Thursday directed the State Archaeological Department Commissioner to document 1,800 artefacts which were excavated during first phase at Keezhadi archaeological site, Sivaganga, and kept at Archaeological Survey of India’s (ASI) Research Centre in Bengaluru.
Meanwhile, the court allowed the ASI to conduct chemical examinations on the artefacts excavated during second phase and kept at the site itself, at its Dehradun laboratory, not at its “ill-equipped” Chennai laboratory. But the ASI should return all artefacts to the site after the examinations.
Earlier, based on a petition filed by one Kanimozhi Mathi against transporting antiquities to the Bengaluru Research Centre, the court had granted interim stay on shifting about 5,300 artefacts excavated during the second phase, out of the site, but it was relaxed as the ASI was allowed to take the needed artefacts to its laboratories for examination. However, the court asked why such examinations could not be conducted in the Chennai lab.
On Thursday, Keezhadi site’s Superintending Archaeologist filed a report and said since the Chennai lab does not have adequate facilities, the ASI decided to conduct the examinations at its Dehradun lab. On the question of establishing on-site museums a decision could be taken only after finding the historical value of the excavation sites.
A division bench of Justices S Nagamuthu and M V Muralidaran said the court could not compel the ASI to conduct the examinations at its Chennai lab as it has cited technical reasons. But whenever it plans to take the artefacts, which are kept at the site, to the labs, it should be intimated in advance to the state Archaeological Department Commissioner.
‘Show documents used for crop loan waiver’
Madurai: While the State government has stated that it has waived farmers’ crop loans and jewel loans drawn from Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies PACS) by 85 per cent, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has directed it to produce original documents, which it considered to adopt such a policy of leaving out remaining 15 per cent of the farmers, who were also affected by the drought. “The court would not interfere in the government’s policies, but it could intervene in the process which it adopted to come up with policy. So the government should produce all documents on Friday,” said Justices S Nagamuthu and M V Muralidaran.