The Hindu : Karnataka News : Drive launched to raze illegal places of worship

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Wednesday, Dec 15, 2010
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Karnataka

Karnataka

Drive launched to raze illegal places of worship

Staff Correspondent

So far, there has been no resistance from people, says official

Eight structures have been identified for demolition
Entire process to be completed by December-end

Chitradurga: Following the recent Supreme Court order, the district administration has launched a drive to demolish places of worship constructed on public land in the district.

The district administration conducted a survey and identified eight such structures. They include, one temple each in Molakalmur and Hiriyur taluks, one opposite the office of the District Armed Reserve police, a temple near the office of the Superintendent of Police, one at C.K. Pura village, two by the side of B.D Road and one shrine at Mahatma Gandhi Circle here. “We have already started demolishing these structures. The demolition may be restricted to a portion or the entire structure, depending on the extent of encroachment,” said Deputy Commissioner Amlan Aditya Biswas.

He told The Hindu that so far the district administration had not faced resistance from any community, and the people were cooperating with the authorities.

Referring to the shrine at Mahatma Gandhi Circle here, he said that he had held discussions with the leaders of the Muslim community and those managing the shrine about demolishing a portion of it. “Since a portion of the shrine has encroached upon seven feet of a public road, we have given them an option to hand over an equivalent area of land adjacent to the shrine for the road,” he said.

The District Wakf Board had offered to give a piece of land opposite the shrine. The matter was still being negotiated, he said and added that the shrine authorities had been given time till December 24 to decide.

Thanking the public for their cooperation, Mr. Biswas said that the district administration was empowered to raze such structures without anybody's permission. However, since it was a sensitive issue, the district administration had taken the people into confidence. “The entire process should be completed by December 31 and the details of action taken should be sent to the Supreme Court through the Chief Secretary of the State,” Mr. Biswas said.

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