People in distress as ASI steps in to save temple

Submitting a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner on Tuesday, the residents said that Belavadi village has a historical background. There are four temples namely Veeranarayanaswamy temple, Yoganarasinhaswami temple, Venugopalaswamy temple and Udbhava Ganapathi temple built during the Hoysala period. These temples are being taken care by the Sringeri Mutt. Veeranarasimhaswamy temple is being taken care by Archaelogical Survey of India (ASI).

The ASI has made demarcation of 300 feet around the temple and has directed that no construction works or renovation of building can be undertaken in the said area. The families, which have been living in dilapidated houses are now worried over the direction as they are not in a position to do even minor repairs to their house.

Informing the same to the Deputy Commissioner, in the memorandum, residents said that they have been living in a fix for the last one decade. They said that three Deputy Commissioners, in the past had promised to solve the problem by providing compensation and sites in the nearby village at the earliest but nothing has materialised so far.

“Several houses collapsed this year during monsoon,” said the memorandum stating that the GP has not come to the rescue of the villagers despite bringing the issue to the notice of the GP members.

The memorandum said that since most of the houses are leaking many families took refuse in the temples during monsoon. They even cooked in the temple.

“A plank at the temple read that construction and mining activities have been prohibited in another 200 metres around the temple. The people living around the temple are petrified. What is the point saving the temple by ruining people’s life,” questioned the letter to the DC.

Stir on Oct 18

The residents have decided to stage a stir in front of the temple on October 18 to bring their problems to the notice of the authorities concerned. Deputy Commissioner has promised the residents to do the needful after bringing the issue to the notice of the departments concerned.