HOT TOPICS
SPOTLIGHT AGENCIES
Shrines on public spaces to go
Written By murali772 - 3 August, 2010
Bangalore governance Congestion urban development Media Reports Others pedestrian rights Traffic footpaths law enforcement secularism
In a courageous move, the Karnataka government has decided to crack down on unauthorized religious shrines, including temples, churches, mosques and gurdwaras, which encroach upon roads, parks, storm water drains and other public places. Chief secretary S V Ranganath ordered all deputy commissioners, heads of local administrations and zilla panchayat CEOs to demolish unauthorized religious structures constructed before December 2009 on public places. He’s set a December 31 deadline.
Following the Supreme Court directive in December 2009, the chief secretary formulated a regulatory framework for dealing with unauthorized constructions of religious structures which have come up before December 2009. With respect to unauthorized structures which have come up in public parks and other public places, DCs will review these cases. If the DCs feel the structure does not spoil the peace and tranquillity of the area, it may be regularized, subject to compliance with the K a r n at a k a Town and Country Planning Act, Mun i c i p a l i t i e s Act, Corporation Act and other similar laws. The DCs and heads of local administration will be held responsible and disciplinary action taken against them if any religious structure has come up after December 2009. Further, DCs have to send a quarterly report to the additional chief secretary (home) on the progress made.
A district-level committee — headed by the DC and involving commissioner of mahanagara palikas, heads of local administration, SP, PWD executive engineer, ZP executive engineer, commissioner of the urban development authority and additional DC — will review progress every month before submitting the report to the government.
Ranganath warned urban and rural local bodies to earmark suitable places in new layout plans for construction of temples, churches, mosques and gurdwaras.
For the full report in the TOI, click here.
Finally, let's hope it's happening. But, the so termed 'courageous move' actually required the Supreme Court to lend courage to it. And, the courts having to intervene in plain governance issues repeatedly is not quite the most satisfactory state of affairs.
Muralidhar Rao
COMMENTS
rs - 3 August, 2010 - 17:31
I'll believe it when I see it. In fact, only this morning I noticed a new shrine of sorts coming up on old airport road between ORR and HAL airport, completely blocking what might have been the footpath.
Naveen - 4 August, 2010 - 04:11
I saw the old airport rd shrine coming up too, blocking the sidewalk.
These "announcements" are only just that - mere words. Action on the ground needs mindsets to change, which can be very hard.
murali772 - 17 September, 2010 - 07:16
Report in the New Indian Express dt 15th Sept:
The Supreme court on Tuesday warned that chief secretaries will have to personally appear before it if the states fail to comply with its directions to remove or relocate unauthorised places of worship in public places.
Surprising how casual the states are even with the highest court in the land passing such strictures, and repeatedly too. Parhaps, only when the court actually sends a few bureaucrats to the jail will the governments wake up, I guess.
road widening in blr affected too..
srinidhi - 2 December, 2010 - 23:45
The have/are cutting all trees from Sirsi circle onwards on Mysore road for widening..huge trees they were..no less than a temple themselves..
However the bottlenecks are an established temple near the satellite bus stand(Hosa Guddadahalli)..temple occupies about 200 sqft..with gopuram and everything..I am waiting to see whats gonna happen there
Btw another new temple on the side road there..built on footpath is now planning a grand gopuram..and collecting funds for it now..it was actually built in the memory of a simian which died by electrocution around there..
PRAJA.IN COMMENT GUIDELINES
Posting Guidelines apply for comments as well. No foul language, hate mongering or personal attacks. If criticizing third person or an authority, you must be fact based, as constructive as possible, and use gentle words. Avoid going off-topic no matter how nice your comment is. Moderators reserve the right to either edit or simply delete comments that don't meet these guidelines. If you are nice enough to realize you violated the guidelines, please save Moderators some time by editing and fixing yourself. Thanks!