School files plaint against 'illegal' temple construction on its premises

The Education department has filed a complaint with the police to prevent the construction of a Sai Baba temple on the premises of the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Kannada and Urdu Primary and Secondary School in Hombegowdanagar.

Earlier, there was an ‘Ashwathakatte’ on the premises. In the name of renovation of the structure, Ravichandra, husband of former corporator Vasanti, tried to build a temple, locals say. Some local residents complained to the Lokayukta about this. In spite of the Lokayukta issuing a notice, the construction work continued. The school principal lodged a complaint with the Wilson Garden police and BBMP Executive Engineer on Tuesday.

According to the locals, the construction has been on for the past four months. They allege that the work is being carried out with support from local MLA R V Devaraj, in spite of not having permission from the BBMP or the Education department. The school has 460 students studying in the Kannada primary and high school and Urdu school on the premises.

“Dewan Purnaiah donated this land for construction of school. The school was given only 3,761.1 square metres. The building, at present, is an encroachment,” Ravichandra said. He says that the ‘Ashwathakatte’ has been here for long and the school came up later. “The ‘Ashwathakatte’ which was in ruins will be removed and a new one will be built in its place, along with a Sai Baba temple,” he said.

Commissioner for Public Instruction, Sowjanya said that a complaint has been filed and the deputy director of public instruction (South) will be looking into the issue. A senior police officer said that the BEO and the head master of the school approached the Wilson Garden police and registered a complaint stating that a few local people were trying to construct a parapet wall around a holy tree on the school premises, which is not allowed. “The local people claimed that they are not encroaching upon any property and the Survey department has mentioned that the property does not belong to the school, so they are carrying out the construction work. But we told them that no construction work can be undertaken on the premises of the school and sent them a notice. They have stopped the work.”