DMK MP from Thanjavur S. Murasoli inspected the wild growth cleaning drive being executed by the district administration on the moat around Sri Brahadeeswarar temple, popularly known as Big Temple, here on Thursday.

Collector B. Priyanka Pankajam apprised Mr. Murasoli of the fact that the Archaeological Survey of India staff deployed for maintenance and preservation of the World Heritage Monument had objected the removal of wild growth on the moat walls.

Stating that the entire bed of the moat stretch starting from the southwest corner of the temple complex to the southeast corner of the complex had been cleared of wild growth, she said the exercise was carried out with assistance from the corporate houses through their Corporate Social Responsibility programmes and the excavators recently bought by the State government were pressed into service.

These machines were purchased by the Water Resources Department for protection and maintenance of waterbodies and for disaster relief operations.

The ASI staff, who remained spectators to the cleaning drive since May 16, intervened and stalled the drive when the district administration attempted to stretch their work area beyond the moat bed as the workers engaged for the work laid their hands on the wild growth on the moat walls and on top of the ramparts on the eastern, southern, and western sides of the World Heritage Monument.

While the State government officials criticised the ASI for not coming forward to utilise ₹4 crore allocated by the Thanjavur Corporation a few years ago when several works were taken up under the Smart City Scheme for renovation of the moat around the temple complex, the ASI sources pointed out that certain areas located within the World Heritage Monument complex still remain under the control of WRD and the local civic body.

Although steps had been taken for transfer of moat area to ASI in 2013, the moat bed and outer bank of the moat were still under the control of the State government departments, they added.

To substantiate their contention, they pointed out the conversion of a portion of moat around the Big Temple from the northwest end to northeast end as a carriage way would not have taken place had the moat remained under the control of ASI from early days.

While the entire southern portion of the Big Temple moat had been merged with the grand anicut canal during the British era in the name of improvements to irrigation network, the northern portion gave way for the creation of carriage way after the Independence, they added.

Mass cleaning

Meanwhile, the Thanjavur Tourism Promotion Council, functioning under the supervision of the district administration had exhorted the public, students, non-governmental organisations, and government departments to take up mass clearing of waterbodies in the district on May 30 and 31.

Stating that the “best efforts” of individuals and groups would be honoured by the district administration on June 5 — the World Environment Day — the TTPC requested the participants to forward photographs of pre and post condition of waterbodies through WhatsApp (number: 9489129765) and/or through e-mail: thanjavurtourism.ttpc@gmail.com