MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court recently directed the superintending archaeologist of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) (Tiruchy Circle) to file a status report on a petition that states that the temporary on-site museum at Adichanallur in Thoothukudi district was damaged in the floods last year.
A division bench of Justices R Suresh Kumar and G Arul Murugan, while responding to a PIL petition filed by S Kamaraj (59) of Thoothukudi, also directed the superintending archaeologist to file a status report of the current stage of the excavation and future excavation plans at the site.
The deputy solicitor general of India submitted that the heavy rain did not cause any major damage to the excavation site. The land was donated by a third party, but a dispute has resulted in the filing of a civil suit. At this juncture, no construction of a permanent structure can be done.
TheDSG suggested that parcels of land belonging to the state government, adjacent to the archeological site can be used to establish the museum, if the state government comes forward to part ways with the land. The court told the collector to file a report on whether any government land is available nearby. The case was adjourned to June 27.