A famous archaeological site dating to 10,000 BC in Adichanallur in Tuticorin district has run into controversy with district authorities choosing to build an Information Centre and Museum in a nearby village instead of Veloor-Adichanallur.
A PIL seeking to stay construction of the Information Centre-cum-Museum at Karunkulam village and directing the Collector to construct it within Veloor-Adichanallur has been filed by a resident of the village.
A Division Bench of Justice N Paul Vasanthakumar and Justice P Devadoss ordered the issue of private notice to officials including the Tuticorin District Collector and Superintending Archaeologist of the Archaeological Survey of India at Chennai.
The petitioner submitted that several items, including urns, gold diadems and bronze objects, had been excavated and kept in Chennai Museum. The idea was to set up a museum at Adichanallur itself and put the archaeological finds on display.
The petitioner claimed that the District Collector had inspected several government 'poromboke' lands in Veloor-Adichanallur village for the construction of the Museum and Information Centre.
However, work on constructing it began at Karunkulam, he alleged, contending that it was also against an ASI notification.
