THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Religious organisations on Sunday urged the state government to exercise caution and not hurt religious sentiments while evicting encroachments in Munnar.
“We supported the efforts to clear the encroachments. Having said that, the government should go do it by exercising caution,” convenor of the High Range Samrakshana Samithi Fr Sebastian Kochupurackal said after Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan met religious leaders on the Munnar issue.
Kochupurackal said the religious leaders also asked the government to issue pattayams to places of worship functioning on government land without title deeds. Kochupurackal said no one agrees to the use of religious symbols for encroaching upon government land.
At the meeting, religious leaders also reiterated their concerns regarding the impact of the Kasturirangan panel recommendations on Western Ghats.
“The concerns regarding the panel recommendations remain,” Kochupurackal said. On the issue of title deeds, religious leaders urged the government to issue orders and take further action on the decisions reached at the March 27 meeting convened by the Chief Minister.
Kanjirapally Bishop Mar Mathew Arackal, CSI Bishop Rev K G Daniel, Kattapana town Juma Masjid imam Mohammed Rafeeq were among those present.