CHENNAI: Not even a single inch of land belonging to temples in the State will be allowed to be encroached upon, Justice R Mahadevan of the Madras High Court said on Monday.
The judge made the observation while passing further interim orders on a writ petition from the trustees of Sri Avudainayagi Ambal Sametha Desiganatha Swami Temple in Sivagangai district seeking to recover the temple properties.
Earlier on February 12 last, in an attempt to recover over five lakh acres of temple land, allegedly encroached upon, the judge directed the HR&CE to issue public notices informing persons in possession of such properties to voluntarily surrender them to avoid penal action. This order was passed after HR&CE submitted that of 5.25 lakh acres of temple land on record until a few years ago, only 4.78 lack acres existed now.
When the matter came up for hearing on Monday, the department submitted that about `25 crore had been collected as lease rents. Initially, the court directed the Assistant Commissioner, HR&CE, Paramakudi to conduct an enquiry and take steps to recover the properties from the encroachers.
Tasmac PIL dismissed
Chennai: The first bench of the Madras High Court has dismissed a PIL petition to quash a GO, dated May 21 last, which granted permission to issue/renew licences to various establishments to run wine shops under the TN Liquor (Licence Permit Rules and TN Liquor Retail Vending in Shops and Bars) Rule 2003.
Personally against memorials on Marina: Chief Justice
Chennai: Chief Justice of the Madras High Court Justice Indira Banerjee on Monday said she was personally against putting up any memorial on the Marina. Presiding over the first bench consisting of Justice P T Asha also, the CJ told the court that the Marina is a place of pride not only for the people of Tamil Nadu but for the whole country. It has gained the second large beach status in the world, she added. Hence, no construction activities, more particularly a memorial, can come up there, she opined.
The CJ made the oral observations when the PILs from social activist ‘ Traffic’ Ramaswamy and advocate S Duraisamy came up for further hearing on Monday. The PILs opposed construction of the memorial for former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on the Marina. The CJ, however, clarified that it was her personal view and the same will be totally different from the judicial view of the matter. Earlier, Advocate-General Vijay Narayan told the bench that he would produce the sketch of the proposed memorial, which would not at all obstruct the view of the sands and the tidal waves from the road.