The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Wednesday ordered status quo to be maintained while hearing a public interest litigation petition that complained that in the name of renovation works, the authorities were damaging rock-cut sculptures, idols and heritage structures at the Main Falls at Courtallam in Tenkasi district.

A Division Bench of Justices P. Velmurugan and C. Kumarappan directed the State to file a status report to the petition filed by Rama. Ravikumar of Madurai district. The court posted the matter for hearing to May 7.

The petitioner said he was a devotee of Kutralanathar Swamy temple. The main theertham of the temple was the Kutralam falls. There are several ancient rock-cut sculptures and stone idols which are worshipped by the devotees. The development activities carried out over the years had turned the falls into a tourist attraction.

He said during his visit to the place on May 1 and 2, he found several rock-cut sculptures 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 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, he said.

The act of damaging the rock-cut deities without any authority or religious procedure amounts to infringing upon the religious rights of the devotees and violating the statutory protections governing ancient monuments and antiquities, he said.

The petitioner sought a direction to the authorities to take necessary action against those responsible for the damage, destruction and removal of the ancient rock-cut sculptures, idols and heritage structures at Main Falls at Courtallam. He also sought a direction to the authorities to ensure the protection and the preservation of the idols and heritage structures and to restore and reinstall the idols.