HC laments against ASI for poor maintenance of heritage buildings

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Wednesday expressed its displeasure against the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for not preserving several heritage sites of the state in an appropriate manner.

The first bench of Madras HC comprising Acting CJ T Raja and Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy observed that several significant sites including the Madras HC building, Connemara public library, and several other temples are in a deprived state.

The judges made this observation on hearing a petition filed by activist Rangarajan Narasimhan.

The petitioner sought for quashing a GO to acquire 34 acres of land belonging to Arulmigu Arthanareeswarar Temple, Veeracholapuram to construct the collectorate building for the Kallakurichi district.

ASI's standing counsel submitted that since it was a 1500-year-old temple, it should be brought under the control of the ASI.

Recording the submission, the bench précised its discontent stating that the renovation works of Connemara library have not been completed yet despite it being started a year ago. The bench also noted that several dooms of Madras HC are often peeling down.

As the ASI submitted there is a labor deficiency to carry out these works, the bench directed the union government to submit the details of the workers and the time duration to complete the renovation works.