The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has directed the remaining development work at Courtallam in Tenkasi district be carried out in the presence of the officials from the Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology.

A Division Bench of Justices G. K. Ilanthiraiyan and K. Rajasekar directed the authorities to ensure that the carvings engraved on the rock surfaces were safe and that development activities were carried out without causing damage to any sculptures, ancient idols, or rock-cut idols.

The court directed Tenkasi Collector to conduct an inquiry regarding the damage caused to the rock-cut idols at Courtallam Main Falls and the Executive Officer of Courtallam Town Panchayat to ensure proper maintenance and development of public facilities during the Courtallam season by completing the development works within the stipulated period, in larger public interest, and to protect the economic interests of local communities and persons dependent on seasonal tourism.

The court directed all the authorities concerned to ensure the protection and preservation of idols and heritage structures situated at Courtallam Main Falls. The authorities have a duty to protect the historical, cultural and archaeological significance of Courtallam region and must take necessary precautionary measures to preserve and protect the heritage structures, the court said.

The authorities intend to ensure public safety, proper crowd management, uninterrupted tourist access and safeguard the seasonal livelihood of local persons dependent on tourism. The developmental works were undertaken in the larger public interest, as well as to protect the economic interests of local communities and persons dependent on seasonal trade, the court said.

The court was hearing a public interest litigation petition filed by Rama. Ravikumar of Madurai district. The petitioner said he was a devotee of Kutralanathar Swamy temple. The main theertham of the temple was the Kutralam falls. There were several ancient rock-cut sculptures and stone idols which were worshipped by the devotees.

He said during his visit to the place on May 1 and 2, he found rock-cut sculptures were damaged as the works were carried out by the workers without any archaeological expertise or supervision, under the guise of renovation and development works.

The destruction and the removal of such idols not only offend the religious sentiments but also constitute punishable offences. The sculptures form an integral part of the religious practices attached to the temple. The act of damaging the rock-cut deities without any authority or the religious procedure amounts to infringing upon the religious rights of the devotees and violating the statutory protections governing ancient monuments and antiquities, he said

He sought a direction to the authorities to ensure the protection and the preservation of the idols and the heritage structures and to restore and reinstall the idols.