Madurai: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), New Delhi, should consider issuing license to the Tamil Nadu Archaeological department to conduct excavations at Keezhadi site soon, said Justice M M Sundresh of the Madurai bench of the Madras High court on Thursday.
The State Archaeological department had submitted an application in July to ASI seeking permission to allow them to excavate the Keezhadi archaeological site near here.
A division bench comprising Justices Sundresh and Sathish Kumar made this observation while hearing a petition filed by Chennai-based advocate Kanimozhi Mathi, who first sought to set up a site museum to preserve the antiquities in the same place instead of shifting them to ASI's regional office at Bengaluru.
When the case came up for hearing today, Kanimozhi Mathi claimed that excavation conducted during the third phase was not as intensive as it was done during the first two phases under the supervision of superintending archaeologist Amarnath Ramakrishna.
While the Judges said that various factors were involved in the excavation, including the land at the site belonging to private owners, Justice Sundaresh observed that continuing the excavation was more important than the coconut trees grown by land owners on the southern site. "However, after listening to the landowners, we can also decide about paying compensation to them," said Justice Sundaresh.
Mr. Sriraman said that they would issue extension order for them to conduct the excavation but would be unable to work for next two months due to rainy season.
