Thiruvananthapuram: Former UDF government contrived a strange crisis with regard to the management of
Kuttalam Palace and land owned by the state in Thirunelveli district, said public works department (PWD) minister G Sudhakaran in the assembly on Thursday.
“The palace of Marthanda Varma is under state government now. The PWD had in 2009 appointed a person on contract basis as the caretaker of the palace. In 2015, the UDF government gave permanent appointment to the person, Prabhu Damodar, as the palace superintend; a post that doesn’t exist,” the minister said.
The person was suspended after he was found misusing the property.
Tamil Nadu electricity board had snapped power connection to the palace and revenue officials had refused to accept the land tax. “Finally, they accepted the tax after the state government sent senior officials. Though there is no ownership issue, we are facing obstructions even in erecting barbed wire around the property as the suspended person is a local goon,” the minister said. tnn
