Tamil Nadu’s Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR & CE) department has asked its officials across the state to file criminal complaints with the police against those who are occupying temple properties without any formal agreement and without paying the required rent.
In a letter to sub-officers of the department, HR & CE Commissioner J Kumaragurubaran has quoted a recent amendment to the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act which has categorised encroachment of properties belonging to temples as a cognisable and non-bailable offence.
The fresh amendment also allows any individual to complain against unlawful possession of any property belonging to temples and endowments. Earlier, only the HR & CE Commissioner was authorised to give a written complaint based on which courts or police will act against the encroachers.
“So, this letter urges the trustees or officials concerned of temples or religious institutions to file criminal complaints against those who have occupying properties without any formal agreement or without paying any rent. The complaints should be filed at police stations,” Kumaragurubaran said.
He also urged temple authorities to identify people who have been enjoying temple properties without any legal sanction and file complaints against them. The temple management, Kumaragurubaran said in his letter, should cooperate with the police in the investigations by providing details of the encroachments.
Kumaragurubaran also attached a copy of the amendment law, which came into effect in October, in the letter. The letter by the HR & CE Commissioner comes in the wake of the department launching a massive drive in finding out encroachment of temple properties and recovering them.
The DMK government, which assumed office in May this year, has taken several steps to infuse greater transparency in the functioning of temples and has begun uploading details of temple lands, buildings, and other records on its website as the first step.
The department is also conducting a drone and DGPS survey of nearly 5 lakh acres of land owned by various temples and trusts that come under it after which 3D images of the land will be published online. As many as 44,121 temples in Tamil Nadu come under the HR&CE department which manages and controls them.
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