Priests close doors of Govardhan temple after admn action

AGRA : The ‘sevayats’ (priests) closed the doors of the famous Daan Ghati and Mukharbind temple in Govardhan town of Mathura on Wednesday in protest against a drive undertaken by the district administration to allegedly demolish the ‘aarti sthal’ in compliance with National Green Tribunal (NGT) orders to remove encroachments.

The district administration said it was not aware of the closure of temples by the sevayats, but asserted that they (the administration) were merely complying with directives of the National Green Tribunal, which will take up the matter the next week.

The National Green Tribunal had directed the Mathura administration to remove encroachments on Govardhan hillock, popular as a pilgrimage destination.

Mathura district magistrate

› We are merely complying with National Green Tribunal orders to remove the encroachments illegally raised on Govardhan hillock

SARVAGYA RAM MISHRA, district magistrate Mathura

Sarvagya Ram Mishra said, “We are merely complying with National Green Tribunal orders to remove the encroachments illegally raised on Govardhan hillock.”

People familiar with the matter said the Mathura administration had asked the priests to remove encroachments on their own. When police and administrative official reached Govardhan on Wednesday, the ‘sevayats’ reportedly closed doors of the Daanghati temple at Goverdhan hillock.