The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : Plea to declare Halcyon Castle a heritage site

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Sep 15, 2004

Kerala

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Plea to declare Halcyon Castle a heritage site

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, SEPT. 14. The Kovalam Kottaram Vimochana Samithy and the Hindu Aikya Vedi today submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister, Oommen Chandy, urging the Government to take over the Halcyon Castle at Kovalam and declare it a heritage monument.

The memorandum signed by 10,000 persons, was submitted by the Vimochana Samithy chairman, Venniyoor Hari, the general convener, P. Prasannakumar, and the Hindu Aikya Vedi State president, J. Sisupalan. The leaders who called on the Chief Minister today, demanded Government intervention to check unauthorised construction at the site.

Memorial

They appealed to the Chief Minister to declare the castle as a memorial to the Regent Maharani Sethu Lakshmi Bai and the noted space scientist, Vikram Sarabhai, who breathed his last in the building.

The memorandum called for stern action against the Government officials responsible for the attempt to hand over the castle and the adjoining land to a private hotel group without land records and ownership documents.

A pressnote issued by the Vimochana Samithy said the Chief Minister had assured them that the Government would not approve the transfer of the castle. It said Mr. Chandy had also declared the Government's intention to take legal action on the issue.