VILLUPURAM: Villupuram municipal administration on Wednesday demolished a private Hindu temple situated inside a Dalit residential area in Vazhuthareddy saying it encroached on an adjacent burial ground.
Vazhuthareddy, an area allegedly neglected by the district administration, has housed roughly about 1,000 Dalit families for more than three decades. Eight years ago, a private temple was erected near an area’s burial ground in the area and several festivals have been held there in these years without any trouble, as residents claim.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, the authorities demolished the temple on grounds of encroachment of the burial ground that falls under the municipal limit. Though the temple owners, who are also residents of the same area, attempted to stop the act, officials proceeded anyway.
“The temple had all festivals with prior permission from the police and district administration. We even have proper power supply connections to the temple. How can the municipality suddenly say that the temple is on encroached land?” asked a 45-year-old resident K Kumar from the area. But, as the temple belonged to private entities, the demolition did not cause any chaos in the region except for a few residents who were disappointed with the move.
However, residents alleged that the municipality has hardly brought any infrastructure development in the area including an underground sewage system, public toilets and road facilities.
“Why the municipality, which is so keen on removing the encroached temple, are not so vigilant about the lack of basic facilities in Vazhuthareddy? In fact, our area was the last to be given the underground sewage connection which is still incomplete. Open defecation is still prevalent in the area,” said G Ramamoorthy (53), a resident.
Two more temples were also razed in Villupuram as part of the drive, said sources.