MADURAI
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Monday directed the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to send samples excavated from Adichanallur site in Thoothukudi district for carbon dating by February 22 and report compliance.
The court said two sets of samples taken from the site during the excavation done in 2003 could be sent for carbon dating to laboratories in the United States of America and Kalina Campus, University of Mumbai.
A Division Bench of Justices N. Kirubakaran and S. S. Sundar further directed the ASI to take the assistance of T. Satyamurthy, former Superintending Archaeologist, ASI, apart from B. Sathyabama, Regional Director, ASI (South), in compiling the report on Adichanallur excavation. The court said through this exercise a comprehensive report on the excavations could be compiled.
Further, the court put out a set of queries for the ASI to report on. The report should answer how many excavations, similar to that of Adichanallur site, were carried out in India and, in particular, Tamil Nadu. Were comprehensive reports on the excavation made ready and samples sent for carbon dating, the court asked.
The court also sought information on the number of ancient sites and monuments in each State, budgetary allocation for each of the past five years for the ASI, zone-wise break-up of funds allocated and current vacancies in the ASI, Chennai Circle. The court directed that the report by the ASI be submitted on February 25 and adjourned hearing till then.