Vettucaud Church gets govt nod for renovation

The Madre de Deus Church at Vettucaud in Kerala, one of the most prominent pilgrim centres in South India, has received the much-awaited approval for its reconstruction.

The Union Ministry of Environment and Forest has given clearance for the church's renovation under the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) regulations.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor had handed over the approval order signed yesterday by Lalit Kapur, Director(LA), the Ministry of Environment and Forests.

Media reported that Tharoor had been devoutly following up the matter with the Union Minister for Environment & Forests for the past many months.

The proposal seeking clearance under the CRZ regulations for reconstruction of the church was submitted by the church authorities in 2010.

Tharoor, an MP from Thiruvanthapuram, expressed hope that the order would enable the completion of the reconstruction at the earliest.

The Vettucaud Church bears a tradition of more than 500 years ago. Legend has it that the church was established by St. Francis Xavier, the Jesuit missionary who came to India to spread the gospel.