HC allows residents’ associations, public to clean temple premises, preserve heritage
The court has formulated guidelines for both residents and temples, wherein residents can now approach the Joint Commissioner of HR&CE for permission to carry out Uzhavara pani. This will help in maintaining temples and preservation of heritage structures
Starting Wednesday, residents’ associations and groups of individuals in each locality will be permitted to clean the premises of temples and preserve heritage in the locality.
Many residents have been complaining that they were denied permission by executive ocers of temples to clean the premises.
Following a judgment by a Division Bench of the Madras High Court, comprising Justice R.Mahadevan and Justice P.D.Audikesavalu on Tuesday, with regard to people’s participation in maintaining the temples, residents will start cleaning the premises with permission from the joint commissioners of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department.
The High Court has issued detailed guidelines and elaborated on the role of the people, with regard to carrying out the Uzhavara pani in the temples, and the HR and CE Department, following a petition led by an advocate and West Mambalam resident M.Karthikeyan.
According to the judgment, people can now approach the jurisdictional Joint Commissioner and submit a representation for carrying out Uzhavara pani in the temple and the ocial has been directed to consider the request within seven days and pass orders either allowing or rejecting the request.
The residents can clean the temple premises, ponds, remove the overgrown vegetation and paint the gates.
The residents are not allowed to engage in renovation or refurbishment of the temples, and the devotees engaged in the work cannot claim any right over the temples.
The HR and CE Department should also take necessary steps to maintain a temple and carry out periodic inspection of the structure.
The High Court has formulated guidelines for both residents and temples, wherein residents can now approach the Joint Commissioner of
HR&CE for permission to carry out Uzhavara pani. This will help in maintaining temples and preservation of heritage structures in the locality.
Velachery resident S.Kumararaja said many people who were denied permission by the temples executive ocers will now be able to clean the temple and improve public health on the premises.
“We welcome the order of the High Court. Temple ponds should also be cleaned frequently to prevent communicable diseases from spreading in our localities,” he said.
Anna Nagar DMK councillor T.V.Shemmozhi said a few temples in the area require periodic cleaning as shortage in manpower hampers upkeep of temple premises.