Steps on to shift shops out of shrine, government tells court

Petitioner Abul Kalam Azad Sulthan, a High Court lawyer from Kanniyakumari, in his petition, had stated that temples were symbols of culture and tradition and many arts such as Bharathanattiyam, Kalari and so on had flourished inside the temples. Temples in India were not just places where religion flourished but also places where water management, disaster management and art forms and culture developed, the plea said. 

However, following the massive fire in the Meenakshi temple, the official in-charge of the temple should be held accountable for it, the plea said. Also, the temple roofs were constructed at huge heights only to withstand disasters like fire and had been built following Agama rules. But the temple authorities, aiming to generate revenue, had made the temple a commercial place by violating the Agama rules. Electricity supply and air conditioners were set up in Madurai and Thanjavur temples and only because of short supply there was the fire accident in the Meenakshi Amman temple. 

So, to preserve the traditional features of temples and to protect them from such accidents, the shops should be removed from the temples, prayed the petitioner. During the hearing, the judges directed the petitioner to submit his ID and posted the hearing in the afternoon. After submission of the ID card, the case was heard. The public prosecutor (PP) informed the judges that at present the shops were closed in the temples.

A 12-member expert team has been formed and steps were being taken to close the 115 shops, except flower shops. Steps are also being taken to remove all the 300 shops in Pudhu Mandapam, said the PP. Respondents including the Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services Department, Tamil Nadu Tourism Department and Archeological Survey of India should file counter affidavits by February 27, the judges said.