SC-appointed panel inspects Hospet temple

The two-day visit came in the wake of a direction from the Supreme Court. The 10-member team led by State Archaeology Department Dr R Gopal comprised Gangadhar and Siddanagowda of the Archaeology Department, Narasimhan of the Central Archaeology Department, Deputy Director of Mines Department Dr B N Shankar and Mines Safety Department Director V Lakshminarayan.

The committee interacted with the residents, priests and the temple administration, separately. The panel members also inspected the mining operations of the nine companies in the two-km radius of the temple.

The committee, in the next three months, will carry out inspection in three phases and submit a detailed report to the Supreme Court on the damage caused by the mining operations, Gopal said.