Remove road laid on temple land within a month, says HC

Madurai

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Wednesday ordered removal of a road that had been laid on a temple land in Pulankurichi in Sivaganga district within a month. The court took note of the State’s submission that it would take necessary steps.

Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy passed the order in the petition filed by retired Judge of the Madras High Court Justice A. Selvam. The court directed the authorities to take steps.

In his petition, Mr. Selvam said that the temple land was known as ‘Sri Uruman Aalayam’ or the resting place of the God. The petitioner said that his father and forefathers had served as the temple priest.

The petitioner said that they followed customary practices that included prohibition of use of footwear on the temple premises and commercial activities, including laying of roads, on the temple land. There were a large number of trees around the temple, he said.

The temple was taken over by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department in 1975. Nobody could lay a road on the land without the permission of the department. But, a road was laid on the land, he said.