CHENNAI: A division bench of the Madras High Court, comprising justices T Raja and S Sounthar, recently ordered an inquiry into the alleged demolition of Bhaktha Markandeya temple on the Girivalam path in Tiruvannamalai town and its reconstruction by removing encroachments.
“The second respondent (commissioner of HR&CE department) shall conduct an inquiry either himself or through the jurisdictional joint commissioner along with the ninth respondent tahsildar after issuing notice to all the interested parties, including the writ petitioner and the eleventh respondent (encroacher), and find out (the) exact location of the temple within three months.
“The commissioner and the respondents 1 to 9 are directed to reconstruct the temple on the said land within six months therefrom; and the encroachments ... shall be removed to facilitate reconstruction,” the bench ordered. It directed authorities to complete the entire process within nine months and report compliance with photographs.
The orders were passed on a petition filed by CM Sivababu, president of Tamil Desiya Makkal Katchi, Tiruvannamalai. He said the temple stood on Chengam Road near Bali Theertham on the Girivalam path. The encroachers Venkatesan and the proprietor of Only Coffee Kumbakonam Degree Coffee put up the coffee shop on the adjacent land before demolishing the temple for a new building.
Subsequently, police registered an FIR based on a complaint by the department after the petitioner flagged the matter. He alleged that the department didn’t protect or restore the temple even after the issue was brought to its notice.