Waste on temple land: Officials summoned

A Division Bench comprising Justice N Kirubakaran and Justice S Bhaskaran on taking strong exception to statutory authorities who have the bounden duty to safe guard temple and public properties and provide clean environment to residents are themselves encroaching upon the temple properties and dumping waste in the temple lands, summoned the above officials.

The summons were based on a plea moved by A Radhakrishnan seeking to remove encroachments and dumping of waste by Tiruverkadu Municipality on the temple lands and a construction of electricity sub-station by TNEB without following procedures.

He had submitted that in around 2,000 sq ft of land belonging to Devi Karumariamman Temple at Tiruverkadu, municipal waste continue to be dumped there causing foul smell and nuisance to the devotees visiting the temple. The petitioner also noted that in another property of Vethapureeswaran Temple which is under the administration of Devi Karumariamman Temple, the municipal authorities have occupied nearly about 70,000 sq.ft of the temple property for dumping waste there by resulting in temple authorities being unable to undertake any development activities.

Also, the petitioner while referring to the letter by the Tahsildar, Poonamallee and Tahsildar of Maduravoyal to the Tiruvallur Collector, dated July 27 in which they have mentioned about the dumping of waste by municipal authorities, said besides this, TNEB has encroached a land measuring 4.85 hectares relating to the temple and an electricity sub-station was erected without following due process.