CHENNAI: A total of 3,168 places of worship have been constructed across the state, encroaching upon public lands and places, according to a report filed in the Madras High Court by the Department of Municipal Administration on Friday. Of these, 3,003 are temples, 131 churches, 27 mosques and remaining seven fall in the ‘others’ category. S Ramanathan, Deputy Secretary of the department, submitted the report following an order of the Madras High Court on January 4.
City Corporations have the largest share of encroachments with 1,786 and municipalities with 1,203.
The High Court was hearing a petition filed by Ramakrishnan, general secretary of Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam, seeking to implement a government order dated April 29, 1968, and sought the removal of a temple encroaching on public land.
Justice M Subramaniam during the previous hearing observed, “An encroachment is an encroachment, and can never be approved or allowed. Even temple deity, as a legal person, cannot commit an act of encroachment. If a deity commits an act of encroachment, that is also to be dealt with in accordance with law.”
When the plea came up for hearing on Friday, Justice Subramaniam said that the roaster of the court had changed now and that he was no more in charge of the portfolio to hear the case. The judge said that he would refer the matter to the Chief Justice.
What the court said
An encroachment is an encroachment. Even temple deity cannot, as a legal person, commit the act of encroachment