The Hindu : Centre petitions SC on ASI move

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Nov 15, 2002

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National

Centre petitions SC on ASI move

By Our Legal Correspondent

NEW DELHI Nov. 14. Amid widespread opposition in Tamil Nadu for the Archaeological Survey of India's move to declare the Arunachaleswarar temple in Tiruvannamalai ``an ancient monument of national importance,'' the Centre has filed a petition in the Supreme Court explaining the reasons.

A Bench comprising Justice Y. K. Sabharwal and Justice H. K. Sema granted four weeks time to the Tamil Nadu Government and the Tiruvannamalai Municipality (on whose appeals the apex court in August stayed the Madras High Court judgment framing a scheme for providing facilities to devotees who visit the temple to perform `girivalam') to file their response.

In his affidavit, K. P. Poonacha, Director (Monuments), ASI, said that Tiruvannamalai was one of the most venerated shrines. But over the years, it had been desecrated by "rampant and illegal" construction at its base, between the path of the hill and the hill itself. The Centre submitted that already in August 1997, two natural caverns, Skandashramam and Virupakshi ashram, and the passage leading to Skandashramam from Ramanashramam were declared monuments of national importance. And on August 29, the Supreme Court asked the Centre to consider the report of the Wide Base Committee and intimate the steps taken, or to be taken, by the Government of India to preserve the temples at Tiruvannamalai and the area surrounding it.

Accordingly, the Union Minister for Tourism and Culture and the officers of the ASI had visited Tiruvannamalai recently and after a detailed examination, the ASI issued a preliminary notification on September 20. Two months time had been given for receiving objections. Explaining the notification, the Centre said that it was proposed to declare the Tiruvannamalai town, the Arunachaleswarar temple and the Giri Pradakshana Pathai as part of the heritage town under the provisions of the proposed Tamil Nadu Heritage Conservation Act so that the ambience of the site and the open area around the temple and the pathai (route) could be contained from further encroachment and the hill prevented from the effects of ill-conceived urban growth.

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