The Madras High Court on Friday restrained the State government from changing the physical features of the Ardhanareswarar temple land on which the Collectorate for the newly-formed Kallakurichi district is to be constructed.
Justices M. Sathyanarayanan and R. Hemalatha passed the interim order on a public interest litigation petition filed by Rangarajan Narasimhan of Srirangam against alienating the temple land for constructing the Collectorate.
The petitioner claimed that sufficient amount of government land was available right next to the temple property. Yet, the State had chosen to construct the Collectorate on the temple land. He also claimed that the foundation stone was laid hurriedly.
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However, the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department (HR & CE) counsel told the court that the Department had decided not to alienate the temple land to the government. Instead, it would be given on lease for fixed number of years, he said, and sought time to submit the relevant documents in the court.
When the judges wanted to know whether the lease would be given for 99 years, the counsel said the specifics would be known only after he obtains proper instructions from the Department.
Accepting his plea, the judges adjourned the case to December 9.
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On his part, State government pleader V. Jayaprakash Narayanan told the court that the government had not made any alterations to the temple land so far, and that an approach road as well as a shed had been constructed only on adjacent lands.
However, the petitioner disputed the claim and contended that the construction had begun on the temple land.