MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court directed the Central and State governments to erect display boards containing details of ancient sites at airports, bus stands, malls and other public places.

A division bench, comprising Justices N Kirubakaran and B Pugalendhi, observed that the government has to give publicity to ancient sites through such methods so that people, including foreigners, visit the sites and learn about their importance.

“The Yanamalai hills near the high court bench has nearly 2,500-year-old Jain sites and Tamil Brahmi inscriptions. But even the locals are not aware of it and this leads to vandalization or desecration. If the display boards, with pictures and description of the sites, are erected in public places, then it will attract tourists and visitors and help in preserving the importance of the ancient sites,” the judges observed.

They also cited the Saluvankuppam Murugan temple as another example. While Mahabalipuram attracts thousands of visitors, the ancient temple in Saluvankuppam, which is situated 7km from Mahabalipuram and was unearthed through the strenuous efforts of archaeologists, is not well known, the judges pointed out.

They sought responses from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and State archaeology department with regard to the implementation of the above suggestions. They also suo motu impleaded the Union Ministry of Tourism and State Tourism department and adjourned the case to December 4, to be heard along with other archaeology-related cases.

The directions were issued following a public interest litigation filed by one Kamaraj alias Muthalankurichi Kamaraj seeking archaeological excavations in Korkai village in Thoothukudi.