‘Unauthorized’ religious places: Govt seeks details from departments JK had in 2010 informed SC that there are 1142 such structures in the State Srinagar: The State Government has started compiling data about the “unauthorized” places of worship—of all communities—set up on the state land across Jammu and Kashmir. The latest move by the government comes in the wake of the Supreme Court direction to all the states asking them to come up with detailed report of religious structures constructed on the state land. “You are requested to furnish the details of unauthorized religious structures on public land/places, removed, relocated or regularized under your jurisdiction,” senior Law officer, Housing and Urban Development Department, has written to various heads of departments under the administrative control of H&UDD. Sources said once the details are compiled, the State’s Home Department would present the status report before the apex court. Following the directions from the Supreme Court, J&K Government had earlier in 2010 undertaken the survey to identify places of worship that have come up illegally on the state land over the years. All states and union territories were directed by the division bench comprising Justices Dalveer Bhandari and K S Radhakrishnan to submit the list of such religious structures built illegally on public land and propose a plan to deal with such structures. They were also asked not to allow setting up of any new religious structures on the public land. The restriction applies to mosques, temples, churches, Gurdwaras and other places of worship of all communities. An official said the process for identification of such religious places has been started regardless of which community these belong to. “We will be identifying the religious and other institutions of all the communities built on the public land, roadsides and then the Government will take a call on their regularization or relocation,” the official said. Sources said the Chief Secretary Iqbal Khanday Monday took a review meeting on the matter. He asked the Divisional Commissioners of both Kashmir and Jammu, who were present in the meeting, to come up with detailed report on the structures that can be regularized/relocated/removed. “The Deputy Commissioners will compile the reports in their jurisdictions and in turn submit them to the Government,” sources said. In August 2010 the state government had informed the apex court that around 1142 unauthorized religious structures had been built on the public land in J&K over the years. However, the affidavit filed by the then Chief Secretary in the Court didn’t make any mention of any structure being removed/relocated or regularized. The apex Court had then asked the State Government to come up with a detailed report in this regard and its plans to deal with such structures.
Posted on: Tue, 08 Jul 2014 02:37:19 +0000
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