MHC asks for status of 75 orders issued to HR&CE

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Monday directed the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment (HR&CE) department to explain how many of the 75 orders issued regarding the protection of temples have been implemented.

Hearing a bunch of pleas related to the HR&CE temples, the division bench comprising Justices R Mahadevan and PD Audikesavalu exuded displeasure over the functioning of the HR&CE department and directed the HR&CE department to explain how many of the 75 orders issued in the case of the temples themselves have been implemented, how many have not been implemented and how many the government wants to implement and adjourned the hearing to August 31.

"While an order was issued in 2018 to allocate Rs 308 crores for constructing strong rooms in all temples, it is said that only 25 rooms have been built in the past five years. Why did the government, which prioritises many projects, not give importance to this? The temple funds should be used for the temple. Allocating the strong room model and funds and not building the strong rooms shows the incompetence of the government, " the court observed.

Responding to this, the counsel representing HR&CE explained that three months' time should be given as the strong rooms have to be built uniformly.

Recording the submission, the court said that they are ready to give three months' time and directed the HR&CE department to submit a report on how many strong rooms would be constructed within the stipulated time period.

Earlier, the court directed the HR&CE department to construct strong rooms in order to protect the temple idols.