Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Sep 13: State Muzrai minister, Kota Srinivas Poojary, said that the government will form survey teams at the district level to identify encroachment of temple properties, get them cleared and to protect the temple properties. He said that the task of forming these committees would be completed by the end of this month. He was speaking at a press conference at Vikasa Soudha here after the review meeting he held on Thursday September 12 with the officials of the department.

He clarified that the survey teams are formed not against anyone individually and that they will be led by district level land record officers and the task would be monitored by the deputy commissioners concerned. He also said that the state religious council would be formed within the next two weeks, after which district religious councils in all the 30 districts would be taken up.

He said that the members of the committees of B and C category temples would be provided information about temple maintenance and management through workshops so that these temples will have a systematic management, cleanliness and other facilities. He also said that it has been decided to open an engineering division in his department to cater to requirements like intricate designs, embellishment, creating idols and such other works, as PWD and other departments do not have this experience and expertise.

Kota said that it is planned to appoint an executive officer to hereditary temples too to keep an eye on donations and expenditure there. These officials will work as government representatives, he stated. He informed that a thousand people will be appointed to the department including executive officers, first grade assistants etc, and that in temples which are financially stable, appointments would be made transparently through such temples.