TIRUNELVELI: For the first time, the District Survey Office has released a list of 16 Great Trigonometrical Survey (GT) stations in Tirunelveli, amid allegations that officials had failed to prevent the damage of the two-century-old heritage structures and encroachment on government land surrounding them.
The information was provided in response to an RTI application filed by former Radhapuram panchayat vice-president S Murugesan. However, Murugesan alleged that the District Survey Office had concealed crucial details, including survey numbers and the extent of land allotted for the GT stations. He also claimed that the actual number of GT stations in the district could be more than double the figure disclosed through the RTI reply.
“Apart from providing village names with errors, the Manager-cum-Public Information Officer of the District Survey Office, K Pandian, has withheld the survey numbers of seven stations and the area measurement of all 16 stations,” Murugesan said.
Pandian was unavailable for a comment. The Great Trigonometrical Survey was initiated in 1802 by William Lambton during the British era to scientifically map the Indian subcontinent. Several GT stations, constructed as masonry towers and pillars, have reportedly deteriorated over the years due to natural causes and human intervention.
TNIE had reported on July 24 that a GT station at Uthayathur was damaged by individuals and government land surrounding the structure was being encroached upon.
However, District Survey Office officials had earlier denied having information about the GT stations, stating that the matter came under jurisdiction of Central government.