Centre directed to set up on-site exhibition at Keezhadi

Kanimozhi Mathi of Chennai, in her PIL petition, had stated that Keezhadi was an ancient urban settlement spread across 110 acres. So far, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has unearthed 1,800 antiquities from the site in the first phase and another 5,300 in the second phase. 

While the articles excavated during the first phase had been shifted to ASI’s south zone headquarters in Bengaluru, steps were on to shift the rest of the antiquities. 

It has been the policy of the Centre to keep the small and movable antiquities recovered from the ancient sites close to the location from where they were excavated so that they may be studied in their original environment. Hence, the court should direct the ASI to establish onsite museum in Keezhadi to preserve the antiquities, prayed the petitioner. 

When the petition was heard on Friday, AAG Pugazhendi told the court that the state government had already allotted 2 acres for the onsite museum and was also ready to allot funds for it. When the judges asked why was the Centre hesitant to set up onsite museum at Keezhadi, the special pleader of the ASI replied there was no hesitation to set up  an onsite museum. 

Following this, the judges directed the Union government to set up the museum with the help of the state government and adjourned the case to August 24.