TEMPLE DEMOLITION ISSUE: CM INTERVENES

MARGAO: The controversy over the demolition orders of Shri Swami Samarth Temple issued by the deputy director of panchayat seemed to have died down after the intervention of the Chief Minister, Mr Digambar Kamat through the South Goa Collector.

This temple comes within the jurisdiction of the Rumdamol panchayat.  "He informed me that he had taken appropriate action considering the Supreme Court judgement," the Collector, Mr G P Naik told the media on Wednesday.

According to sources even though the report has been prepared and submitted to the government the government has still not issued a policy statement and so any and all such demolitions are at a standstill.  "I also informed chief minister about the same." he said.

It may be recalled that the Chief Minister had intervened in this after the issue had snowballed after he expressed his ignorance about the whole situation and said that he came to know about the notice issued by the Rumdamol village panchayat to the temple committee only through the media.

Mr Kamat said that once he came to know about the issue, he asked the collector to seek all details from the panchayat deputy director and expressed his confidence that he would mediate into the matter and ensure that a solution is worked out after consultation with all the parties.  The Rumdamol panchayat had issued a demolition notice on the temple committee on December 21 to raze down the structures within 15 days on the directions of the deputy director of panchayats.

The Supreme Court had issued directions that the state government to identify all such structures and prepare a report. And the government was supposed to act on this report.  However, as the policy decision on these structures is yet to be taken the matter is at a status quo at present.

Sources said that the government is wary about aggravating the situation as any decision by the village panchayat body to execute the demolition order would open floodgates on demolitions of religious structures belonging to all communities, some of which stand on open spaces and even government land.