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[BREAKING] Madras High Court constitutes Heritage Commission to identify, repair, maintain historical monuments, temples, idols
Importantly, the Court passed a slew of directions to ensure safety of idols including strong rooms in every temple with video surveillence and computerised data of all idols including their photographs
Madurai Meenakshi Temple
The Madras High Court on Monday ordered State of Tamil Nadu and the Archaeological Survey of India to constitute of a 17-member Heritage Commission to identify all the structures, monuments, temples, antiques with historical/archaeological importance within the State of Tamil Nadu and to supervise the restoration, repair works etc. and maintain the same.
Towards that end, a Bench of Justices R Mahadevan and PD Audikesavaulu also issued seventy-five directions for the protection of monuments, temples, idols and sculpture of ancient and historical value.
No structural alteration or repair of any monument / temple / idol / sculpture / murals of, which are notified either under any Central law or the Tamil Nadu Ancient and Historical Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1966, shall take place without the sanction of the Heritage Commission, the Court directed.
“The Heritage Commission shall identify all the structures, monuments, temples, antiques with historical/archaeological importance within the State of Tamil Nadu, formulate a list with age of such monuments by categorising them within their period group, issue appropriate notification, render periodical advices to the State, supervise the restoration, repair works etc. and maintain the same,” the judgment said.
The Court also ordered formation of a Special Tribunal to exclusively deal with the matters relating to the religious institutions come under the provisions of the Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments Act, such as, disputes on religious affairs, culture, tradition, heritage, inams and recovery of pending rent.
Importantly the Court ordered District Level Committees to take stock of all the idols in temples which fall within the definition of “Ancient Monument” or “Antique”, prepare a list of such monuments, take photographs and computerize the same.
“The HR&CE Department must ensure that all the temples have strong rooms, which are efficiently secured with latest scientific technology and must be under 24x7 video surveillance with alarm. All the existing ICON Centres must be brought under 24x7 video surveillance with alarm. (43) The stock of idols in the temples must be computerised and the same must be maintained in the manual books, if not done earlier,” the judgement said.
The judgment was passed in a 2015 case initiated suo motu by then Chief Justice of High Court, Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul.
The case was initiated based on a newspaper report published in The Hindu newspaper titled “Silent Burial”, relating to the inaction on the part of the government in establishing the statutory authority, framing Rules and constituting a 17-member Heritage Commission to advise them on heritage issues.
The Court also ordered ASI and State of Tamil Nadu to establish Mamallapuram World Heritage Area Management Authority to manage and safeguard all the monuments at Mamallapuram.
The 17-member Heritage Commission shall also act as an advisory body to the Mamallapuram World Heritage Area Management Authority and the Government as well, the Court added.
Mamallpuram is famous for housing the famous ratha temples, mandapas and the shore temple which have been declared as UNESCO World Heritage site.
The Court further directed that funds of temples shall first be utilized for the maintenance of temples, conducting temple festivals, payment to its staff including the archakas, oduvars, musicians, folklore and drama artiste. In case of surplus funds, the same shall be utilized for attending the repair and maintenance of other temples in the state.
The audit of the religious institutions shall be conducted periodically by an independent audit wing as required under Section 87 of the HR&CE Act and the same must be ensured by the HR&CE Department, the Court added.
Story to be updated.
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