HC asks State government to make necessary proposal for conducting ocean research on Kumari Kandam

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has asked the State government to examine research and other materials and make necessary proposal for conducting ocean research on Kumari Kandam.

The court was hearing the public interest litigation petition filed in 2020 by Narayanmoorthy who sought a direction to the Centre and the State governments to conduct an ‘Underwater Archaeological Exploration’ to find Kumari Kandam mentioned in the Tamil Classics.

It was once located to the south of Kanniyakumari district and submerged in the Indian ocean due to natural calamities and rise of the sea level. An Underwater Archaeological Exploration will lead to know more about the ancient civilization and Tamil culture, he said.

Earlier, the court had appointed Tamil researcher Orissa Balu alias S. Subramani as the Amicus Curiae to assist the court. The Amicus Curiae in his report submitted in 2020 referred to Kumari Kandam and Lemuria which were mentioned in ancient Tamil literature.

The State submitted that since the proposed research had to be conducted in the ocean, permission from the Central government was required. The Archaeological Survey of India submitted that the Central government had so far not received any proposal from the State government regarding the research on Kumari Kundam. If they received a proposal, it would be considered and necessary support would be provided by the Central government, it was submitted.

A Division Bench of Justices G. Jayachandran and K.K. Ramakrishnan took note of the submissions made and the importance of the subject. The court asked the State government to examine the report of the Amicus Curiae along with research and other materials and make necessary proposal for conducting the ocean research on Kumari Kandam. We hope that the State government will take the initiative and act positively in this regard, the court said and disposed of the petition.