The Hindu               17.08.2013

BDA holds survey of religious structures on government land

With unauthorised religious structures sprouting
unchecked on government lands, the Bhubaneswar Development Authority has
undertaken an extensive survey of such structures in the capital city.

Once
survey is completed, the BDA would submit the report to the Revenue and
Disaster Management for exploring the legal means to clear the
encroachments.

“We have appointed three amins to
carry out survey of religious structures on government land in BDA area.
They would point out extent of government land encroached upon for
erecting these structures,” said BDA enforcement officer Sarita Dhanwar
here on Friday.

RDM department had sought a report
regarding removal, relocation and regularisation of unauthorised
religious structures on public land.

“There has not
been any clear-cut instruction regarding clearing encroachment. If
government orders for removing encroachment, we would enforce the
order,” Ms Dhanwar said.

One of the most commonly
adopted tricks to encroach land and exploit it commercially in
Bhubaneswar is to establish a religious structure especially temple.

A
good number of temples have come up in Niladri Vihar, Chandrasekharpur,
Khandagiri, Damana, Pokhariput and Aiginia area in the State.

A
top RDM department official said although Supreme Court had taken a
stringent view on encroachment of public land by way of establishing
shrines, the government had not been able to make those lands
encroachment-free.

A temple in Niladri Vihar area
continued to get bigger in size even though more than five letters were
communicated between RDM department and General Administration
Department for removal of the encroachment between 2010 and 2012.

A
small temple was established on a small patch of land in Niladri Vihar
in early 2000. In 2008, the temple was demolished by GA department, BDA
and Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation.

Ironically,
after 2009 Supreme Court verdict that says no authorised construction
should be carried out or permitted in the name of temple, church, mosque
or gurudwar on public streets, public parks and other public land, a
bigger temple came up on the same place. By 2012, the temple premise was
spread over two to three acres.

Encroachment of
public land does not confine to perform religious activities. In due
course of time, the premises of religious structures are used for
organising social parties such as marriages and birthday.

It will submit report to Revenue and Disaster Management Department.