Encroachments removed from Puliakulam Mariamman temple land

The value of the land recovered is estimated to be worth over Rs. 12 crore

Eviction drive being carried out in the land belonging to Puliakulam Mariamman Temple in the city on Friday. - PHOTO: K. ANANTHAN

Officials from the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR & CE) department along with police on Friday evicted encroachers from nearly 60 cents of the land belonging to the Puliakulam Mariamman Temple in the city.

Families

According to N. Natarajan, Joint Commissioner for HR & CE – Coimbatore Region, told

The Hindu that the temple had about 1.16 acres of land of which 60 cents were under encroachment wherein 38 families were residing, so far.

When the department asked the residents to vacate and hand over the land to the temple, the residents resisted the same.

HC moved

They approached the HR & CE Commissioner in 2009 and pleaded for giving them the land that they were residing, but it was turned down and the Commissioner said that the land belonged to the temple. The residents then moved the Madras High Court and the court also ruled in favour of HR & CE department seven months ago.

Subsequently, the authorities on Friday reached the area with earthmovers, manpower and police and evicted the encroachers. At present, 22 families were living there. On seeing the officials, the residents removed their belongings in vehicles. Police pickets were posted in the area.

The value of the land recovered is estimated to be worth over Rs. 12 crore.