HC slams ASI for delay in publishing findings of Adhichanallur

The Madras High Court Friday directed the Centre to file a report on Monday on Adhichanallur excavations taken up by the Archaeological Survey of India over ten years ago as it came down heavily on the ASI for the delay in making public the findings.

Justices N Kirubakaran and S S Sundar of the Madurai Bench observed whether the central government did not want the ancient Tamil culture and civilisation to be known to the country.

Hearing a batch of petitions filed by PIL litigants seeking fresh excavation in the area, they wondered if Tamil Nadu was in India and condemned the ASI for not releasing the report about the outcome of the excavations taken up between 2003 and 2005.

The ASI had not come out with the detailsabout the articles excavated in Adhichanallur. "This is not acceptable", the Judges said and asked the Centre to file a report on Monday and adjourned the hearing to that day.

Adhichanallur is located in Tuticorin district in southern Tamil Nadu where ancient burial sites had been unearthed.