HC restrains authorities from constructing ornamental gateway near Dindigul Rockfort
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Wednesday restrained the authorities from constructing a Christian ornamental gateway near the Dindigul Rockfort.
A Division Bench of Justices S. Srimathy and R. Vijayakumar issued the direction on the public interest litigation petition filed by V. Senthilvelu of Nagalnagar in Dindigul. The court ordered notice to the authorities and sought a counter affidavit. The matter was posted after four weeks.
The petitioner said that the Dindigul Rockfort or Malaikottai was a popular tourist destination. It was built during the reign of the Nayak dynasty and was maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India. Exploring the fort allowed the visitors to delve into the past and gain insight into the historical significance of the area.
The fort was also home to temples. However, the place was losing its significance due to encroachments. The pond, Ayyankulam, was not properly maintained and it was filled with debris. As a result, the water could not be used for any purpose, he said.
During rainy season, the pond gets filled up. However, encroachments and debris in the pond have resulted in contamination of the water and it could not be used by the people. Though representations were made to the authorities to remove the encroachments around the fort and the pond, no action had been taken by the authorities so far, he said.
Instead, the authorities were planning to construct an ornamental gateway near the fort, he said. The petitioner sought a direction to the authorities concerned to remove encroachments and grant permission to worship at the temples. He also sought a direction to restrain the authorities from constructing the ornamental gateway near the Dindigul Rockfort.
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