Author: PTI
Publication: Deccan Herald
Date: April 17, 2005
URL: http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/apr172005/national1233562005416.asp
The demolition was carried out following a
High Court order on February 3 and the demolished structures included 250
roadside temples.
The roads of this historic temple city, praised
in ancient Tamil literature, have got back their original glory with civic
officials pulling down more than 800 encroachments including 250 roadside
temples, some of them century old.
The demolition of roadside temples was accomplished
following a High Court order on February 3 last, to take effective steps to
remove all encroachments on public roads.
Civic officials not only razed down temples
but even roadside offices of political parties, one or two churches and a
dargah.
Police had a tough time in removing the devotees
who had squatted inside the temple and refused to move when the bulldozers
and procline machines roared to the site.
The officials had to convince the people about
the need to execute the High Court order. "We are demolishing all the
places of worship, all the houses, flag posts, etc and we don't discriminate,"
the officials said.
Officials also deputed a special team of intelligence
to carry out liaison work negotiating with unauthorised occupants and persuade
them to vacate the building.
In the case of the temples, the idols and
other articles were removed in advance by the persons concerned. While the
ground work of police officials helped avert clashes in many places, in some
they had to use force to remove the devotees as the talks failed.
Temples in many places had been constructed
with the hidden agenda which varied. There were temples which fetched more
than Rs two lakh a year to the trustees who celebrated annual festivals.
There were also temples in the bustling market
area which helped the traders extend their sun shade on both sides of the
temples. In some places people had extended their houses till the periphery
of the temple.
However, the demolition of roadside temples
and encroachments had been both appreciated and scorned.
Chockalingam, a senior politician said people
understand now that public places should not be occupied. The broad roadsides
would reduce the problem of parking on roadsides.
Janata Party President Subramanian Swamy said
the government had definitely earned the wrath of the people, who were stranded
on streets, after providing them legitimacy to live in.
K V R Subramanian, an auditor, suggested legal
action be taken against corporation officials who had permitted the roadsides
to be encroached.
Many people at the demolition site were sad
that the places of worship had been pulled down. Those who had built a roof
over their head and run small business and tea shops to eke out their living
are now in the street.
All the same, they ask how did the Corporation
give them power and water connection and allowed unauthorised roadside temples
to come up in the first place? Some temples had been attached to the Hindu
Religious and Charitable Endowment trust, and Corporation had been condemned
for removing those temples, and now a legal battle is in the offing between
the Corporation and the HR and CE Department.
Corporation officials, who had been aggressive
in the initial stage of the 'operation eviction', have slowed down now after
another High Court bench took a slightly different view on March 22 and said
the court had not given any blanket powers to the Corporation to remove the
encroachments with utter disregard to law. Justice D Murugesan told the officals
to follow procedures before demolishing.