In Lord Jagannath of Puri’s name, 25,000 acres, a lot of it encroached
team’s bulldozers razed a rice processing mill, a housing society, a market complex and several dhabas that had mushroomed over the land. A head clerk working at the temple’s Jatni office, who was found guilty of conniving with the land mafia, was suspended.
Officials said the encroachers had sought to justify the land-grabbing, saying it had been authorised by the endowment commissioner under the Orissa Hindu Religious Endowments Act, 1951. But Padhee cited section 16(3) of the Shri Jagannath Temple Act, 1954, which says any transfer of immovable property recorded in the name of Lord Jagannath of Puri by any person including any institution would be null and void. As per section 2(1) of the temple Act, the provisions of the Hindu religious endowments Act are not applicable to the temple except with respect to actions taken, things done and contributions levied as such.
Padhee said the temple administration is now planning to evict encroachers from at least 1,000 acres in the next few weeks. After it is freed, the land would be sold to the general public through the Bhubaneswar Development Authority. The funds so generated would be deposited in the temple corpus fund.
Encouraged by the success of the drive, the temple administration is now in the process of identifying the remaining 30,000 acres for which there is no record of rights as yet. “Most of these lands are in districts of Puri, Khurda, Cuttack and Ganjam. If we get back the land, the lord’s would probably be the richest
General Manager
KAMALAR | 14-Jan-2013Reply | Forward While poor people starving and eating mice to survive, the so called high cast is enjoying wealth in the name of Lord Jagannath. what a pity? We shout that India is progressing.
Don't mislead
Rahul | 14-Jan-2013Reply | Forward Those encroacahing in the land are not poor people, but organized land mafia and real estate sharks. It has nothing to do with caste.
Jagannath Puri Land
Sudha | 14-Jan-2013Reply | Forward What about the loot of the public money by the Yadavs, Gowadas, DMKs etc of lower casts?
MoneyMatters!!
Sharat | 14-Jan-2013Reply | Forward Why to talk about India if there is poorest of poor are present in our state Orissa even who are not able to earn single meal a day. Our God Jagannath is owning crores of rupees worth land, who is going to benefit from this? None. Still we can witness more than a lacks being donated everyday as per a daily news, but don't have the time & money for these poor.Benefits possible
Rahul | 14-Jan-2013Reply | Forward With proper management, everything from annadan halls to universities can be set up. So, don't condone encroachments by real-estate sharks.
