The Department of Hindu Religious Institutions has issued an order to dispose of uncultivable lands belonging to various temples at the prevailing market rate to government or by e-auction to the public.
Explaining the reason behind the move, B. Thillaivel, Under Secretary, temples said, “It is brought to the notice of the government that many lands, belonging to various temples which are uncultivable and are lying idle for years together without any use and not fetching any revenue to the temples concerned. Number of encroachments had come up in such uncultivable lands and the encroachers could not be evicted as that of the Government lands by invoking the Public Premises (Eviction of unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971.”
In a notification, he also said as the encroachers would file suit claiming their right in the court of law and the matter would remain pending before the civil courts for years together without any result. “Hence, it is felt necessary to dispose of the uncultivable lands in order to avoid encroachments failing which, the whole land may be occupied by some miscreants in future causing hardships to the temples”, said Mr. Thillaivel.
As per the new guidelines, the concerned temple authority will pass a resolution informing their willingness to dispose of the uncultivable land owned by them indicating the details of lands and price expected.
The Commissioner, Hindu Religious Institutions, will publish the details of the proposed alienation of the immovable property of the temple as envisaged under provisions and rules of the Puducherry Hindu Religious Institutions Act, 1972 calling for objections/suggestions.
On the expiry of the period mentioned in the notice, the Commissioner, Hindu Religious Institutions, will submit a report to the government detailing the objections/suggestions received and views of the temple authority and seek the orders of the government for disposal of the property.
If the government decides to give permission to dispose of the property, availability of temple land for disposal will be informed to all the departments and its undertaking. If any government department and its undertakings are desirous of acquiring the land, the same may be intimated to the Department of Hindu Religious Institutions.
The notification said, “The land may be alienated on payment of guideline value or the market value indicated by sales transaction executed on lands similar in character to the land proposed to be disposed, within previous one year as determined by the Sub/Deputy Collector concerned, whichever is higher.”
The new guideline said in case of sale of any immovable property endowed for purpose of performance of any specific service, charity in any religious institution, the sale amount should be deposited in a nationalised bank and the interest accrued thereon should be utilised only for the purpose for which the land was endowed and should not be utilised for any other purpose of the temple concerned.
In case of specific endowment sale amount shall be deposited in a bank and interest accrued will be used only for that purpose
