The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Library and shopping complex attached to temple opened

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Tuesday, Jul 21, 2009
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Library and shopping complex attached to temple opened

Special Correspondent

Encroachment of temple lands being regularised

— Photo: K. V. Srinivasan

Inauguration: HR and CE Minister K. R. Periakaruppan inaugurating a library at Sri Kapaleeswarar Temple in Mylapore on Monday. (From left) HR and CE Commissioner P. R. Sampath, Thiruvaduthurai Aadheenam Muthukumara Swamy Thambiran, Mylapore MLA S Ve Sekher (second from right) and HR and CE Secretary K. Muthusamy (right), are in the picture.

CHENNAI: Encroachment of temple lands in the State is being regularised by the HR and CE Department by making the encroachers tenants of the land.

So far 25,000 encroachments have been identified, of them 3,000 have been regularised by converting the encroachers into tenants, who will be paying monthly rent to temples concerned.

Inaugurating a renovated library, shopping complex and vehicle stand, attached to the Sri Kapaleeswarar Temple here on Monday, HR and CE Minister KR.Periakaruppan, said that land belonging to temples in the State had been illegally occupied by people and attempt to evict them met with legal resistance.

Finding a solution

To find a lasting solution to the issue, the Chief Minister decided to rent those places to encroachers at a mutually agreed rent. Due to this the temples concerned would get substantial monthly income and the encroachers would get legal sanctity as tenants.

The government had taken steps not only to protect the temple properties but also to get substantial income from them.

Shopping complex

It had constructed shopping complexes and parking stands in open space belonging to the temples to get revenue.

As part of community service, it had opened libraries in temples which had sufficient fund. So libraries had been opened in 114 temples in the State.

The library at Sri Kapaleeswarar Temple was opened in 1958, which was renovated at a cost of Rs.13 lakh.

A rest room, foot-wear stand, protection wall for temple tank and vehicles stand, belonging to the temple were declared open on the occasion.

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