How are shops permitted inside temple, asks Madras HC
MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court on Monday summoned the joint commissioner of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR and CE) seeking an explanation as to how commercial shops are permitted inside the Nellaiappar temple in Tirunelveli.
A bench of justices SM Subramaniam and G Arul Murugan gave the direction on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition filed by K Balasubramanian seeking a direction to the state archaeology department to declare the temple as a Monument of National Importance under Section 4 of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958.
Balasubramanian submitted that the temple is over 1,500 years old, spread over 14 acres. It has two ancient wooden mandapams estimated to be 400 years old. But many shops including a courier office and an electronics shop are operating in the halls, he alleged.
Citing the 2018 fire accident at Meenakshi Sundareswarar temple in Madurai, he said despite the fact that wood is flammable, shops with high-powered LED lights and wirings are being permitted, which poses a huge risk.
Besides seeking removal of the shops, he requested the court to direct the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to conduct a comprehensive structural, safety and material integrity assessment of the wooden halls and other parts of the temple and recommend measures to conserve them.
The judges observed that as per Section 77 of the Tamil Nadu HR and CE Act, 1959, any lease or mortgage in respect of the monuments, sculptures inside the temple, is null and void. Thus, the authority who granted lease for the shops should be subjected to disciplinary proceedings and prosecution for violating the Act and offending the religious sentiments of the devotees.
They suo motu impleaded the joint commissioner and directed the authority to appear before the court on Tuesday.