Detailed status to be hosted on website of Culture Deptt
*Restoration to be carried out under relevant schemes
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Oct 13: In a significant development, Government has directed both the Divisional Commissioners and all the 20 Deputy Commissioners to ensure demarcation of land of temples in their respective jurisdiction and removal of encroachments. Moreover, detailed status of all the historic temples will be collected and hosted on the website of the Department of Culture.
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Official sources told EXCELSIOR that in a meeting held recently, the Chief Secretary held deliberations on restoration of temples in Jammu and Kashmir in the light of the order passed by the Division Bench of the High Court of J&K and Ladakh in a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) titled Gautam Anand Versus Union of India and Others.
In the PIL, it was submitted that the respondents have failed to discharge their duties regarding protection and welfare of the ancient Hindu temples situated in the UT of J&K even after receipt of written representations from the petitioner.
The petitioner also prayed for issuance of direction to the respondents to take appropriate recourse to protect, rebuild and renovate the ancient temples of the UT of J&K and retrieve the land of the temples encroached by the mafia and other property dealers.
The Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Tashi Rabstan and Justice Puneet Gupta vide order dated July 31, 2024 dismissed the PIL as withdrawn with the direction to the respondents to consider and decide the representation of the petitioner within a period of four weeks from the date of filing of the same failing which the petitioner will be at liberty to re-agitate the matter before the court.
Following the order of the High Court, the petitioner submitted a representation to the Chief Secretary followed by reminder seeking constitution of a committee to look after the temples and demarcation of the land of temples etc.
The representation was discussed in a meeting chaired by the Chief Secretary and attended by Principal Secretary, Home Department, Principal Secretary, Department of Culture, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Administrative Secretary of Department of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Special Secretary, Department of Revenue and Special Secretary, Tourism Department.
After detailed discussions, the Chief Secretary directed Department of Culture to coordinate with both Divisional Commissioners to collect data from all the Deputy Commissioners on the status of temples along with land and after compilation of data the same should be hosted on the website of Department of Culture.
“Divisional Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners are directed to ensure demarcation of land of temples wherever required and removal of encroachments, if any, reported on land of any temple”, sources said quoting an official document, adding “the Department of Culture has further been asked to compile the information vis-à-vis efforts made for revival and restoration of temples by various departments/organizations”.
Further, the Chief Secretary issued directions that revival and restoration of temples should be continued by the concerned departments/organizations under relevant schemes and provisions.
It is pertinent to mention here that under the scheme “Revival, Restoration, Preservation and Maintenance of Heritage in J&K” launched in 2021-22, there is already an Executive Committee headed by Chief Secretary and the scheme is being implemented by the Directorate of Archives, Archaeology and Museums. The sacred places including temples are being taken up for revival and restoration under the scheme. Moreover, Tourism Department is also undertaking renovation of temples under its departmental schemes.
“The compilation of data and hosting the same on the website of Department of Culture would go a long way in ensuring proper focus on each and every temple which requires revival and restoration. Moreover, with this there will be proper coordination among different departments particularly Tourism and Culture”, sources said.
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