*Protection of caves with inscriptions a continuous process” * Special Correspondent
CHENNAI: A committee headed by the Director, Geology and Mining, is investigating the issue of quarrying affecting stone inscriptions in caves near quarries, School Education Minister Thangam Thennarasu informed the Assembly on Friday.
He was responding to a question raised by D. Ravikumar (VCK). Quoting from The Hindu, Mr. Ravikumar said that Professor Asko Parpola, the Indologist from Finland, had stressed the need for the Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions to be protected. To a question on the inscriptions being threatened by quarrying near Madurai, he said ( The Hindu, April 15): “The Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions are important monuments, which should be adequately protected. The possibility of new finds must also not be forgotten. In my own country, Finland, the government has been much concerned about the damage caused to scenery by sand quarrying and has passed restrictive laws.”
Mr. Thennarasu, who is also one of those in the State who can decipher the inscriptions, said that protecting the caves in which the inscriptions were discovered, has been a continuous process. Once the question of damage due to mining came up, a committee was set up in consultation with Higher Education Minister K. Ponmudy, who also handles the Mining Portfolio.