PUDUCHERRY: The Hindu Religious Institutions (HRI) department in Puducherry on Tuesday took possession of a temple property located on Kamatchi Amman Koil Street, following a directive from the Madras High Court.
The property, measuring 1,675.44 sq feet and valued around Rs 3 crore, belonged to the Eswara Dharmaraja Temple under the Sri Vedapureeswarar Varadaraja Perumal Devasthanam. It had been encroached upon for more than 30 years.
Though the property was registered in the temple’s name on May 26, 1988, it was occupied by a former temporary trustee who rented it out and later claimed ownership.
According to HRI Commissioner A Sivasankaran, the rent was initially used for temple functions, but over time, the trustee started asserting ownership. Legal disputes between the lessee and the encroacher stalled earlier efforts to reclaim the property, with the matter even pending in the Supreme Court.
Independent MLA G Nehru, who brought attention to the issue earlier this year, played a crucial role in the property’s recovery. Nehru had submitted petitions to the lieutenant governor, chief minister, and other authorities, pushing for action.
A notice was issued by HRI under the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971, instructing the occupants to vacate by July 30, 2024. However, the occupants refused to comply.
Nehru then moved the case to the Madras High Court, which, on July 31, 2024, ordered that the property be reclaimed within four months. Following this, HRI officials, along with revenue authorities and the police, evicted the occupants and sealed the property, placing a cautionary notice on the gate.
“As per the court’s order and the Puducherry Government’s direction, the temple administration took over and sealed the property,” confirmed Commissioner Sivasankaran.
This action comes amid growing concerns over temple property encroachments in Puducherry. The government has launched a survey of temple properties, based on a recent directive from Lt Governor K Kailashnathan.