HC to appoint expert to decide on location of Sivaji statue

Chennai, July 17 (UNI) Madras High Court will pass orders tomorrow for appointment of an expert to assess whether the statue of well known Tamil actor Sivaji Ganesan, which was to be installed at Kamarajar Salai-Radhakrishnan Salai junction opposite to Gandhi Statue off the Marina, can be removed without causing any damage to it.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice A P Shah and Ms Justice Prabha Sridevan also directed the Tamil Nadu Government to maintain status quo.

When the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by a freedom fighter P N Srinivasan, seeking to restrain the authorities from giving permission to instal the statue of the late thespian at the three road junction opposite to Gandhi Statue on the National Highways, came up for hearing, Advocate General R Viduthalai had submitted that the Chief Minister had personally inspected three places,including one opposite the actor's residence. But hey were not technically feasible. There was an iron rod running through the statue and the pedestal.

Without damaging the statue, it cannot be taken out and the statue relocated, he added.

The Bench said science was so advanced. In San Fransisco, the entire Town Hall which was as big as Madras High Court was relocated.

Let some expert inspect the location. ''we want to avoid any unpleasantness and bitterness in the matter. We will appoint an expert to study whether it can be removed without damaging it'', the Bench added.

Advocate S Prabhakaran, appearing for one of the intervenor, submitted that the installation of the statue does not affect the visiblity of the Gandhi statue.

UNI XR VV MIR RN1932