The Temple Advisory Committee of the Plappallykkulangara Mahavishnu temple at Kavumbhagom, near Thiruvalla, has called upon the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) and the government to take steps to check the encroachments upon the temple pond on a war footing.
In a statement here on Tuesday, M.P. Krishnankutty Nair, committee president; Vijayakumar, vice-president; and V.K. Muraleedharan Nair, temple renovation committee leader, said that the temple pond had remained neglected due to the indifferent attitude of the TDB towards its protection.
They said that four encroachments by nearby residents had taken place and the matter was taken up with the Revenue Divisional Officer in Thiruvalla. Though the RDO had issued an order to stop the illegal activity, the encroachment upon the pond continued, they alleged.
The committee leaders alleged that some residents near the pond had been illegally extending their property by converting the portion of the pond adjoining their land. The area of the pond had come down from one acre to 46 cents due to encroachment. The authorities concerned had turned a blind eye towards the issue.
Ancient templeThe historical treatise ‘Sreevallabhacharitom’ written by veteran temple historian P.Unnikrishnan Nair says that the ancient Mahavishnu temple dates back to 2000 AD.
A person who owned three cents of land adjoining the pond had now extended his property to 36 cents by encroaching upon the temple pond.
Earlier, the pond was connected to the Pampa through a canal through which transportation of paddy and other materials used to take place in Kettuvallams.
But, now the canal too had ceased to exist owing to illegal conversion along many stretches, Mr. Krishnankutty Nair said.
The committee members urged the TDB to take immediate steps to restore the heavily weeded pond to its original state, clearing all encroachments, besides constructing proper protection walls and bathing ghats.
