Minister for Tamil Official Language and Tamil Culture ‘Ma Foi’ K. Pandiarajan informed the Assembly on Monday that the State government was undertaking archaeological excavations in three places – Keezhadi in Sivaganga district, Kodumalal in Erode district and Pattarai Perumbudur in Tiruvallur district.
Replying to DMK MLA Vagai Chanderasekar (Velachery), who questioned the status of the Keezhadi excavations, Mr. Pandiarajan said it was on the orders of former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa that the State Archaeology Department commenced excavations at the site.
The State government was insisting that the Centre set up site museums in Keezhadi. “We are in possession of all the artefacts that were excavated from Keezhadi and earlier in Mysuru. They are presently kept in a school nearby,” he said.
Mr. Pandiarajan added that the School Education Department had earmarked ₹1 crore for keeping the artefacts in the school and the Archaeology Department was also making efforts to maintain artefacts from Alagankulam in Ramanathapuram district and Adichanallur in Thoothukudi.
Mr. Chanderasekar said the Centre was not keen on continuing the excavations and the officer of Archaeological Survey of India K. Amarnath Ramakrishna, who led the excavations, was transferred. The DMK MLA sought to know the “other forces” that were behind the stopping of the excavations.