A protective fence erected by the grama panchayat around a megalithic era dolmen on the Murugan Hill in Marayur has landed in a row after the village office issued a stop memo claiming that the works had been done on revenue land without the permission of the authorities concerned.
The panchayat and the Archaeological Department jointly did the fencing work with a view to protecting the megalithic remains as part of a project to attract visitors to historical sites.
The panchayat started the work after finding that a large number of dolmens had been destroyed over the years in and around Maryur. The Murugan Hill and Pius Nagar are archaeologically important with a large number of dolmens located there.
Guards appointed
The Archaeological Department had appointed two guards each at the sites following media reports of anti-social elements disfiguring and destroying the dolmens at Pius Nagar.
An official at the Marayur village office said the stop memo was issued after the works were noticed.
The land belonged to the Revenue Department under survey number 277/1 of block number 48 and any work done on it needed prior permission, the official said, adding that the panchayat authorities did not seek permission of the department.
Marayur grama panchayat president Jomon Thomas said the fencing works were undertaken for protecting the dolmens. He said a fence was erected earlier around a few dolmens which were typical of the megalithic period.
Protection Act
The Archaeological Department claimed that the area was under its control. The department had also erected boards claiming it as an archaeologically important site and damaging or disfiguring the dolmens was punishable under the monuments protection Act.
Mr. Thomas said the matter would be taken up with the Subcollector and permission sought for continuing the fencing works.
