TNN
Apr 22, 2012, 04.56AM IST
BHADRAK: The Bhadrak district
administration has issued eviction notices to 723 religious
structures for allegedly encroaching on government land. The move
followed a Supreme Court directive on removal of places of worship on
government land and relocation of such structures built alongside
national and state highways.
Officials said a revenue
department survey in 2010-11 had found that 714 temples, seven
mosques and two churches had flouted the rules under the Odisha
Prevention of Land Encroachment Act, 1972.
"Last week, the district
administration had served eviction notices to the caretakers of these
places of worship and also set a deadline for taking action. Before
the government goes for a demolition drive, they have the provision
for regularization of the structures through lease, particularly
those mentioned in government records. They can also relocate the
structures to nearby 'debastali' areas as per government norms,"
said Debendra Mohapatra, the additional district magistrate of
Bhadrak.
The eviction notices have
triggered a furor with the BJP district unit chief, Akhaya Sahoo, and
the president of the Muslim Jamat of Bhadrak, Abdul Bari, submitting
memorandum to the district collector. They said the district
administration had not opposed the construction of all these places
of worship. Several of them did not create traffic congestion on
highways and their demolition would not go well in public, they
added.
© 2012 Bennett, Coleman & Co.
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