The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has summoned the Tiruchi Corporation Commissioner, Deputy Director of Town and Country Planning and the Joint Commissioner of Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangam on a public interest litigation petition filed in 2018 complaining of illegal constructions around Srirangam temple.
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A Division Bench of Justices R. Mahadevan and J. Sathya Narayana Prasad, which was hearing a petition filed by A. Magudeswaran of Karur, summoned the authorities. The petitioner sought a direction to the authorities to remove the constructions around the temple made in violation of a government order.
Mr. Magudeswaran said buildings built in violation of the 1997 G.O. had mushroomed near the temple. The G.O. had stated that no building exceeding the height of nine metres should be constructed within a one-km radius of the temple.
However, 73 buildings that stood within a 100-metre radius of the temple on the Uthra and the Chithirai streets were in violation of the order. Beyond the 100-metre mark, several commercial establishments and houses were built in violation of the G.O.. Sixty-three of the 73 buildings were built after the G.O. came into force, he said.
He alleged that the district authorities had turned a blind eye to the blatant violation of the G.O., which was issued in a bid to ensure safety and security of the temple structures across the State. Buildings constructed in violation of the G.O. posed a threat to the temple structure and those that were under construction should be stopped, the petitioner said.